MOSCOW, Idaho – The Northern Arizona women's basketball team let it fly at a 60 percent clip from long distance, but a lengthy third-quarter scoring drought proved to be detrimental in a 76-59 loss to Idaho on Saturday. The Lumberjacks made 9-of-15 from behind the arc, including a career-best showing from junior Catelyn Preston.

"There were some really bright spots today; we came out really strong in the first quarter and played them really tough in every quarter except the fourth," said head coach Sue Darling. "We just didn't have the energy to sustain a comeback effort. We didn't have the same defensive intensity in the fourth quarter as we did the rest of the game, so credit Idaho."

Preston and juniors Rene Coggins and Taylor Leyva combined for all nine of NAU's three-pointers with each knocking down at least two. Preston was perfect from long distance until the final minute of the game and finished a career-high 4-for-5 on her way to a new career-best 16 points in the defeat.

Coggins and Preston had the green light to shoot early after combining for all of NAU's 17 first quarter points. Preston had all eight of her first quarter points during an 11-0 Lumberjack run that gave NAU a 14-7 lead with 4:38 left in the first quarter. While the 'Jacks had the momentum, the Vandals settled in and closed on a 10-0 run to take a 19-17 lead into the second quarter despite Coggins and Preston shooting 5-for-6 on three-pointers.

NAU quickly regained the advantage in the second quarter with redshirt junior Shay Young, senior Mariah Willadsen and junior Bradlee Cotton each chipping in a bucket within the first two minutes. Once again, the Vandals answered the Lumberjacks' 6-0 run to tie the game at 23-all and then finished the quarter on a 6-0 spurt of their own, including a buzzer-beating three, to claim a 35-30 halftime advantage.

The third quarter followed a familiar script as the second with a quick strike by the 'Jacks to start and a Vandal flurry to finish. Freshman Kaleigh Paplow and Leyva contributed to a 6-0 opening run that helped NAU erase its halftime deficit and the 'Jacks held a 38-37 lead off a layup from Preston with seven minutes left in the period. However, the Lumberjacks endured a nearly six-minute scoreless drought during which the Vandals snagged the lead for good with an 8-0 run.

Another buzzer-beating three by Idaho to cap the third quarter provided the Vandals momentum going into the final quarter, where they pulled away by shooting 62.5 percent in the final 10 minutes. They were able to double their nine-point third quarter lead to as large as 18 to prevent the 'Jacks from putting an end to their nine-game road losing streak.

Outside of its three-point shooting, NAU struggled offensively by shooting just 33.9 percent overall for the game. The Lumberjacks also did not do themselves any favors at the free throw line where they made just 8-of-15 (53.3 percent). They did match the Big Sky's second-leading three-point shooting team with each squad making nine from behind the arc.

After a fast start to the game, Coggins finished with 15 points and made three treys along with grabbing five rebounds. Leyva and Paplow each scored seven points, with Paplow earning team-high honors with nine rebounds and two steals as well. All 10 Lumberjacks got into the scoring column on Saturday, but Idaho's bench did more than half of the team's damage with 40 points compared to just 12 from NAU's reserves.

NAU is back in the Skydome on Thursday, Feb. 11 with its annual Play 4 Kay game raising breast cancer awareness versus Montana State at 6:30 p.m. The 'Jacks will then host Montana on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. and will celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day. For more information regarding the NGWSD festivities, including a free pre-game youth clinic, click here.