Game Information:

Opponent: Pepperdine (Tuesday, Dec. 16/12:00 p.m.)

Opponent: CSUN (Thursday, Dec. 18/6:30 p.m.)

Location: Walkup Skydome - Flagstaff, Ariz.

GAME NOTES (PDF)

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - The Northern Arizona women's basketball team will look to return the favor to both Pepperdine and CSUN this week after suffering road defeats to the two teams last season. NAU (4-4) hosts Pepperdine on Tuesday at 12 noon followed before welcoming in CSUN on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Both games will be played in the Walkup Skydome.

The 'Jacks, coming off a loss at Oregon on Saturday, will host the Waves on Tuesday in front of hundreds of local schoolchildren for the team's second annual Field Trip Day. Thursday's matchup against the Matadors will also serve as a celebration of 40 years of NAU Women's Basketball with a pre-game reception and halftime recognition of past players, coaches and athletic trainers.

Follow the Action:

• Both of this week's games will be available online at www.watchbigsky.com and the Watch Big Sky App.
• For all live stat and video/audio links all season long, visit the NAU Women's basketball schedule page.

Sue Darling's Thoughts: "Saturday was the first game of part-two of our season. We have divided our season into four parts and right now we have a four-game season (before conference play). We will learn from Oregon and bounce back with a quick turnaround on Tuesday."

Previewing The 'Jacks: The Lumberjacks return home for their final two non-conference home games following a 59-47 loss at Oregon, which snapped their two-game winning streak. NAU brings a 4-4 record into the week and is looking to bounce back with a victory before heading back out on the road to close out its non-conference schedule. Sophomore Brittani Lusain led the Lumberjacks with 14 points against the Ducks, while junior Mariah Willadsen added a season-high 12 points. Senior Erikka Banks continues to lead NAU with 12.5 points and 9.8 rebounds. Senior Raven Anderson is averaging 11.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. As a team, the Lumberjacks continue to play strong defense allowing just 58.8 points per game and 34.7 percent from the field. NAU has limited its opponents under 60 points in five of eight games this season.

Scouting Pepperdine: Pepperdine defeated UC Santa Barbara, 66-44, last Friday to snap its three-game skid and improve its record to 4-5 this season. The Waves have played three common opponents as the Lumberjacks this season with both teams beating UC Irvine and UC Santa Barbara. Pepperdine lost to CSUN - NAU's opponent on Thursday - on Dec. 6 on the road. Senior Bria Richardson is the team's top scorer averaging 13.9 points per game and is also leading the team in steals with 24. Junior Keitra Wallace is second on the team in scoring at 13.0 points per game along with a team-best 5.8 rebounds. Sophomore Allie Green is chipping in 11.9 points per game. Pepperdine averages 63.4 points per game as a team, but is allowing 69.9 points to its opponents.

Scouting CSUN: CSUN has dropped two of its last three games after winning its first six games of the season, but still carry a 7-2 record into the week. Most recently, the Matadors battled back from a 17-point first half deficit to force overtime on the road at USC last Tuesday before eventually suffering an 85-74 loss. Senior Janae Sharp is the Big West Conference's fourth-leading scorer with a team-high 15.0 points per game and she also averages 3.9 assists per contest. Senior Ashlee Guay follows closey with 14.4 points per game and senior Cinnamon Lister is also in double-figures at 13.1 points per game. CSUN is the conference's top defensive team allowing a Big West low 59.2 points per game while holding teams to a 36.6 percent clip. Senior Camille Mahlknecht leads the conference in rebounding at 9.6 rebounds per game.

Series History: 

• NAU and Pepperdine will be meeting for the 10th time in school history. Pepperdine leads the all-time series 6-3. Pepperdine won the last meeting, 74-51, last season on Dec. 21, 2013 in Malibu.
• NAU and CSUN will be meeting for the 24th time in school history. NAU leads the all-time series 15-8. CSUN won the last meeting, 64-52, last season on Dec. 19, 2013 in Northridge.

N-A-U Should Know: 

• The Lumberjacks were picked 10th in both the Big Sky Preseason Coaches and Media Polls.
• Through their first eight games of the season, the Lumberjacks have held their opponents to under 50 points in three games, just one season after failing to do that once during the 2013-14 season. NAU is 3-0 in these games.
• Six different Lumberjacks have scored in double-figures this season. Raven Anderson and Erikka Banks lead the team with four double-digit scoring games followed by Rene Coggins (3), Brittani Lusain (3), Tori Lloyd (2) and Mariah Willadsen (2).
• NAU has used the same starting lineup of Anderson, Banks, Coggins, Lusain and Willadsen in all eight games.
• Coggins leads the Big Sky in free throw percentage and ranks sixth nationally at .957.
• Banks ranks third in the Big Sky in rebounding at 9.8 per game.
• The 2014-15 non-conference schedule is filled with familiar faces with six of the team's 11 opponents making an appearance on the Lumberjacks' slate for the second straight season. Returning opponents include UTEP (Nov. 19), UC Santa Barbara (Nov. 23), UT Arlington (Nov. 26), Loyola Marymount (Dec. 3), Pepperdine (Dec. 16) and CSUN (Dec. 18). Last season, NAU compiled a 2-4 record against these six opponents earning wins against UC Santa Barbara (road) and UT Arlington (home).

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