FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – The Northern Arizona women's basketball team honored their two seniors Raven Anderson and Erikka Banks prior to the start of their final home game as Lumberjacks versus Northern Colorado. Then the Bears played the role of spoiler as they handed NAU an 88-67 loss in the Walkup Skydome on Saturday, ruining Senior Night. The Lumberjacks will head into the final week of the regular season with a 12-15 overall record and an even 8-8 Big Sky mark.

"My hat is off to Northern Colorado; they are absolutely the hottest team in the league right now," said head coach Sue Darling. "We had our hands full defensively and we didn't play our best defense tonight. They shot 63 percent from the field and 55 percent from the three-point line. We're bummed out we couldn't win the game for our seniors but there is a lot of basketball left to be played with this team and we'll see Northern Colorado again. We'll better prepared next time."

The Bears immediately got out to a 9-4 lead but junior Madi Austin scored seven points over a three-minute span that helped NAU gain a 17-16 lead with 9:29 to play before halftime. However, the Bears retook the lead and turned a one-point lead with 6:25 left into a 40-26 halftime advantage.

NAU attempted to get back into the game at the free throw line in the second half, going 20-of-23 from the charity stripe in the final 20 minutes, but Northern Colorado's lead was ultimately too much to overcome as the Bears shot lights out throughout the game. In the second half, Northern Colorado shot 66.7 percent from the field and wound up at 63.2 percent for the game. The field goal percentage was the highest allowed by NAU this season and the Bears shot 12-of-22 from long distance.

Three Lumberjacks scored in double-figures led by sophomore Brittani Lusain's 18 points. She shot 9-of-10 from the line and also added team-highs of eight rebounds and three assists. Freshman Tori Lloyd and junior Madi Austin also both reached double-digits and combined for 25 points while nailing a pair of triples each.

Anderson registered seven points and four rebounds while Banks tallied six points and five rebounds in their home finales.

"Raven and Erikka are two of the reasons I came to NAU," Lloyd said. "On my visit they were two of the first people I met and I had an instant connection with them. Tonight was special because Raven and Erikka mean a lot to us. Every time I scored tonight, I was scoring for them."

The Lumberjacks shot 40 percent from the field and were 22-of-29 for 75.9 percent from the free-throw line in the game.

NAU wraps up the regular season on the road next week with games at Portland State on Thursday and Sacramento State on Saturday, in search of a bid to the Big Sky Championships.