EL PASO, Texas – Despite double-digit scoring from five players, the script for the Northern Arizona women's basketball team's game Tuesday night at UTEP looked a little too familiar to their season opener two days ago. The Lumberjacks (0-2) battled back from a deficit as large as 15 points and seven points at halftime, and trailed by a single field goal in the fourth quarter before falling short 77-66 to the Miners.

"I was really proud of our fight and our toughness," said head coach Sue Darling. "We ended up outrebounding UTEP, a much bigger and athletic team, and we outshot them. The only thing we didn't do was make our free throws at the end and that's a hard way to lose a game."

Senior Monique Mulder and junior Rene Coggins each scored 13 points apiece to lead the 'Jacks, but a 47.8 percent free throw showing – a stark contrast from the team's 80 percent performance from the line on Sunday versus Hawai'i – dampened what was a second straight spirited effort to climb back out of a hole.

NAU trailed by just three, 16-13, after the first quarter, and tied the game at 18-18 three minutes into the second quarter off a pair of free throws by redshirt junior Shay Young. Both teams then went on a lengthy scoring drought until the Miners broke the tie with two freebies of their own with 4:37 before half. That started a critical 8-2 run that provided UTEP the cushion to take a 34-27 lead into halftime.

The Lumberjacks were far from deterred, and after shooting 30 percent from the floor in the first half they made 8-of-14 field goals (57.1 percent) in the third quarter. However, UTEP matched NAU shot-for-shot and countered by shooting 55.6 percent to take its biggest lead, 52-37, with 3:38 left in the third. However, NAU was able to bring its deficit down to single digits, 56-47, by the end of the third to set the stage for a furious comeback in the fourth.

Consecutive baskets by Mulder and junior Brittani Lusain to open the final period immediately sliced UTEP's lead to five points. Freshman Passionate Amukamara's layup off a feed from Lusain with 4:47 brought NAU within two at 58-56, but UTEP scored 11 of the next 15 points to prevent a collapse at the hands of the 'Jacks.

NAU finished the game shooting 41.7 percent from the field, better than UTEP's 38.8 field goal percentage and the Lumberjacks outrebounded the Miners by one, 44-43. However, in addition to NAU's free throw struggles, it also turned the ball over 22 times – seven more than UTEP – which led to a plus-six points off turnover edge for the home team.

Coggins hit three of NAU's five triples to aid her 13-point output, while Mulder was 5-for-10 from the floor for her 13 points. Behind the pair, Lusain finished with 11 points and Young and freshman Alyssa Rader each scored 10. Lusain posted a game-high 12 rebounds, along with six assists, to tally a double-double, while Rader posted her second straight double-double to start her career with 10 rebounds.

"I like the pieces that we have on our team," Darling said. "When we achieve synergy; when the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts, we're not just going to be good, we're going to be great. Each player brings something different to the team and that's special. Although we're 0-2, we played two really good teams. You hate to lose, but we made significant strides since Hawai'i."

NAU next plays this upcoming Sunday, Nov. 22 in a return to the Rolle Activity Center. The Lumberjacks will host Lamar at 12:30 p.m.