Game Information:

Opponent: Montana (Thursday, Dec. 31/4:00 p.m.)

Location: Missoula, Mont.

Opponent: Montana State (Saturday, Jan. 2/2:00 p.m.)

Location: Bozeman, Mont.

GAME NOTES (PDF)

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - The Northern Arizona women's basketball team will ring in the New Year with the start of conference play this week on the road. The Lumberjacks will face a pair of tough tasks in Montana and Montana State, two of the top Big Sky teams through non-conference play this season. NAU takes on Montana on Thursday at 4 p.m. and Montana State on Saturday at 2 p.m.

This weekend will mark the first time NAU will start the Big Sky schedule on the road in three years. The last time the Lumberjacks played its first two conference games on the road was during the 2012-13 season when they coincidentally also started with Montana and Montana State.

Follow the Action:

• Both games this week will have a live audio stream via Stretch Internet. Visit www.nauathletics.com/sports/wbkb/audio to listen to the games for free. Stayson Isobe will have the call on Thursday beginning with a pregame show at 3:40 p.m. The pregame show on Saturday will start at 1:40 p.m.
• Both games will have a live video stream at www.watchbigsky.com.
• For all live stat and video/audio links all season long, visit the NAU Women's basketball schedule page.

Previewing The 'Jacks: The Lumberjacks finished their non-conference schedule with a 4-7 record for the second consecutive season and are coming off impressive performances at Nebraska and Iowa State to close out the pre-conference slate. NAU held third quarter leads against both Power Five conference opponents on the road with freshman Alyssa Rader and junior Brittani Lusain tallying double-digit points in both outings. Rader leads the team with 14.5 points per game and 9.4 rebounds per game, while Lusain is leading the team in assists with 37. Junior Rene Coggins is second on the team with 10.3 points per game. NAU is averaging 65.5 points per game and owns a field goal percentage of .399, while opponents are averaging 70.9 points per game.

Scouting Montana: Montana, the defending Big Sky regular season and tournament champions, was picked as the preseason favorite to repeat by both the coaches and media. The Lady Griz are 7-4 after winning their own home tournament with victories over Florida Atlantic, 83-69, and Utah State, 86-70, on Dec. 19 and 20. Kayleigh Valley and McCalle Feller are second and third respectively in the conference in scoring at 17.8 and 17.1 points per game. Both players were voted to the Preseason Big Sky All-Conference Team. The Lady Griz rank in the top five in field goal percentage, field goal defense, three point percentage and three point defense are outscoring their opponents 68.0-61.3 on average.

Scouting Montana State: Montana State was picked fourth in the Big Sky preseason media poll and fifth in the coaches poll and finished its non-conference schedule with a 7-4 record. The Bobcats last defeated Carroll College, 74-34, at home on Dec. 21 and they have split their last four games after opening 3-0. Jasmine Hommes, a preseason all-conference selection, is eighth in the conference in scoring at 14.1 points per game and fourth in blocks per game. Hannah Caudill leads the conference with 5.8 assists per game. Montana State ranks second in the conference in scoring at 70.6 points per game and scoring defense at 56.4 points per game.

Series History: 

• NAU and Montana will be meeting for the 62nd time in school history. Montana leads the all-time series 50-11. Montana won the lone meeting last season, 69-42, on Jan. 22, 2015 in Flagstaff.
• NAU and Montana State will be meeting for the 62nd time in school history. Montana State leads the all-time series 39-22. NAU won the lone meeting last season, 79-64, on Jan. 24, 2015 at home.

The Inbounds Pass: 

• The Lumberjacks were picked eighth in the Big Sky Preseason Coaches Poll and ninth in the Big Sky Preseason Media Poll.
• Alyssa Rader leads the Big Sky Conference, and ranks sixth in the nationally, with seven double-doubles.
• Rader is third in the conference in rebounding and sixth in scoring.
• Shay Young leads the conference in free throw percentage at .880.
• NAU ranks fourth in the Big Sky with a +3.0 rebounding margin and 41.9 rebounds per game.
• Rene Coggins has made multiple three-pointers in seven games and leads the team with 20 three-pointers made on 37 percent shooting.
• Monique Mulder leads the Lumberjacks wtih 20 steals, matching her total from last season.

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