NAU at Evansville for CIT Championship Game
/ April 01, 2015
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Northern Arizona, one of the nation's top five teams in total rebounds, is set for the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament Championship game tomorrow. The Lumberjacks will face Evansville on the road at 4 p.m. AZ time. NAU has its eyes set on being the first Big Sky Conference team to win a national postseason tournament. The game will be televised live on CBS Sports Network.
Game Notes
• Aaseem Dixon's nine made three-pointers versus UTSA is the most by a Big Sky player this season.
• Kris Yanku's 16 made free throws versus North Dakota ranks second in the league.
• Kris Yanku is one of three Big Sky players to dish out 12 or more assists in a game this season.
• Nothern Arizona holds the top two rebounding marks of 55 (2x) and 53.
• Northern Arizona is the only team to hold its opponents to zero made free throws - a feat it's done twice. The first was Fresno State (0-for-9), followed by Weber State (0-for-10).
• Northern Arizona is the only team to hold its opponents to two or less made free throws. The first time was against Portland State (2) and at Montana State (1).
• Sacramento State's 17 rebounds versus Northern Arizona is the second lowest mark this season.
• Northern Arizona held Fresno State to two assists - a Big Sky low.
• NAU won its first-ever postseason game on March 18 at Grand Canyon. The 'Jacks have now won three straight.
• The Lumberjacks are the ONLY Big Sky team still playing!
• NAU's win versus Kent State set a new single season wins record at 22.
• Senior guard Quinton Upshur is the first two-year player to reach the 1,000-point mark. He's also the only Lumberjack to start every game this season – a school record 37 starts.
• Sophomore guard Kris Yanku leads the nation in free throws made and fourth in free throw attempts (as of 3/31/15). Yanku has made 222 free throws this season, a single-season school record. The Big Sky single-season record is 228 in 2011-12 by former Weber State star and current NBA All-Star Damian Lillard…Yanku has attempted 280 free throws the season is 284 by Idaho State's Dave Wagnon in 1965-66.
• Senior forward Gaellan Bewernick has played in more games than any other player in school history.
• Head Coach Jack Murphy has led NAU to the most wins since the 2007-08 season. Murphy and the 'Jacks have won 12 more games than in his first season and eight more from a year ago.
• NAU ranks 18th in the nation in free throw percentage, 16th in free throws made, 26th in rebound margin, 16th in total rebounds per game and fifth in total rebounds (as of 3/31/15).
• The Lumberjacks are on a four-game winning streak and nine-game winning streak at home.
• NAU is the second Big Sky team to play in the CIT Championship in three years. Weber State fell to East Carolina in the 2013 Championship in Ogden, Utah.
• NAU is looking to become the first Big Sky team to win a CIT Championship!