Game Information:

Opponent: North Dakota (Thursday, Jan. 21/6:00 p.m.)

Location: Grand Forks, N.D.

Opponent: Northern Colorado (Saturday, Jan. 23/2:00 p.m.)

Location: Greeley, Colo.

GAME NOTES (PDF)

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - The Northern Arizona women's basketball team hits the road once again this week and will be aiming to pick up their first conference victory away from home with a pair of games at North Dakota on Thursday and Northern Colorado on Saturday. NAU will embark on the longest road trip in the Big Sky Conference starting out with a 6 p.m. Arizona time tip-off in Grand Forks, N.D. The 'Jacks wrap up the week with a 2 p.m. start in Greeley, Colo. on Saturday.

NAU is just 1-8 away from Flagstaff this season, most recently losing at Montana and Montana State during the first weekend of conference play.

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 and Carly Grenfell will have the call on Thursday beginning with a pregame show at 5:40 p.m. The pregame show on Saturday will start at 1:40 p.m.
• Thursday's game at North Dakota will be televised live on Fox College Sports Central.
• 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: NAU lost both of its games last week at home to Idaho, 72-51, and Eastern Washington, 81-71. After closing their season-long homestand with a 1-2 record, the Lumberjacks are now 5-11 this season with a 1-4 record in conference. Freshman Kaleigh Paplow was the team leader last week averaging 14.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game off the bench in two games. Junior Rene Coggins also scored in double-figures in both games to extend her career-long streak to six games while freshman Alyssa Rader returned from a one-game absence to tally her ninth double-double of the season. Rader leads the 'Jacks with 13.5 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, while Coggins is second on the team with 12.1 points per game.

Scouting North Dakota: North Dakota was selected second and received first-place votes in both the preseason Big Sky coaches and media polls. UND is 6-11 overall this season and 2-4 in the Big Sky following a buzzer-beating 61-59 victory at Montana last Saturday, after losing at Montana State, 69-61. Makailah Dyer leads the team in scoring with 12.9 points per game, assists with 54 and three-pointers made with 27. Mia Loyd, the preseason Big Sky Player of the Year, ranks fourth in the conference in rebounding at 8.1 per game and is the team's second-leading scorer with 11.6 points per game. North Dakota averages just 60.7 points per game, which is the second-lowest in the conference, but the Fighting Hawks do lead the conference in rebounding margin at plus-7.2.

Scouting Northern Colorado: Northern Colorado was voted fourth in the preseason coaches poll, while the Big Sky media voted them seventh. The Bears are 7-9 overall and are on a two-game losing streak that has dropped their Big Sky record to 2-4 after losing on the road last week at Montana, 58-46, and Montana State, 66-58. Savannah Scott is the team's leading scorer at 10.2 points per game and is shooting 54.5 percent from the field and 86.7 percent from the free throw line. Kourteney Zadina ranks second on the team in scoring overall at 9.9 points per game, but is averaging a team-best 11.2 points in conference play. Northern Colorado is the conference's third-lowest scoring team at 61.1 percent, but ranks fourth in scoring defense allowing just 60.7 points per game.

Series History: 

• NAU and North Dakota will be meeting for the ninth time in school history. North Dakota leads the all-time series 6-2. The teams split the season series last season with North Dakota winning at home, 78-62, on Feb. 7, 2015 and NAU winning at home, 72-68 in double overtime, on Feb. 26, 2015.
• NAU and Northern Colorado will be meeting for the 23rd time in school history. Northern Colorado leads the all-time series 17-5. The teams split the season series last season with NAU winning in Greeley, 51-49, on Feb. 5, 2015 and Northern Colorado winning in Flagstaff, 88-67, on Feb. 28, 2015.

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 19th nationally, with nine double-doubles.
• Rader leads the conference in rebounding and ranks 11th in scoring.
• Rene Coggins has made multiple three-pointers in 10 games and leads the team with 32 three-pointers. She ranks third in the conference, and 26th nationally, in three-point percentage at .427.
• Coggins has made 16 of her last 25 from three-point range and is two three-pointers away from moving into NAU's top 10 career chart.
• Taylor Leyva is averaging 13.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.8 steals in her last four games, all starts.

Like NAU Women's Basketball on Facebook

Follow NAU Women's Basketball on Twitter

Download the NAU Athletics Mobile App Here