PORTLAND, Ore. - Amy Patton scored 27 points for Northern Arizona women's basketball but the Lumberjacks still could not get past Portland State falling, 76-55, on Saturday afternoon in the Stott Center.

NAU (9-17, 4-9 BSC) fell behind 14-2 to open the game and failed to make a significant run till five minutes remaining in the opening period.  The women cut the Portland State lead to five points despite being down by as many as 15 points.

Unfortunately, for NAU the Vikings put together a 9-0 run to end the first half.  The Lumberjacks would not get closer than five at the five minute mark in the first as Portland State held a double digit lead for the entire second half.

Patton finished with her second highest scoring output of the year with 27 points in just 29 minutes of play.  She has scored 20 points or more 10 times this season.  Her season-high 28 points came against San Jose State on Dec. 1.

On Saturday, the Lumberjacks shot 37 percent as a team while Portland State hit 42 percent of its shots.

Portland State ended the day with three players in double figures led by Courtney Van Brocklin's 18 points.  Eryn Jones finished just behind her with 16 points.

The Lumberjacks return home for their final two home games of the regular season.  The women host Sacramento State on Feb. 24 and Northern Colorado on Feb. 26. 

Both games are scheduled for 6:35 p.m. and nationally televised on Fox College Sports, Fox Sports Arizona, and NAU's Universityhouse channel.  Saturday's game against Northern Colorado will be tape delayed on Fox Sports Arizona.

DID YOU KNOW…Northern Arizona finished third in the Sterling Savings Bank Presidents Cup recognizing academic and athletics performances in 2008-09. The award is based on team grade point averages, graduation rates and the number of all-conference performers with a grade point average above a 3.0, as well as Men's and Women's All Sports points.