POSTGAME QUOTE SHEET (HEAD COACH SUE DARLING, RENE COGGINS, ALYSSA RADER)

RENO, Nev. – The Northern Arizona women's basketball team may have been the 12th seed in this year's Big Sky Conference Tournament. Montana may have won 17 all-time Big Sky championships. In Reno, the cards were not stacked in the Lumberjacks' favor, but that did not deter them. Unfortunately, 40 hard fought minutes were not enough for the 'Jacks to come away with a victory as they saw their season end with a 78-63 loss to the Lady Griz Monday afternoon.

"I couldn't be more proud of my team," said head coach Sue Darling. "They fought from beginning to end and we just didn't have an answer for Montana in the fourth quarter. Credit Montana because they have two great players who made buckets at the end and they're a tough team. We came in here as a 12-seed, and that wasn't what we were fighting for during the season, but in all my years of coaching I don't think I've ever coached a more resilient team."

NAU finished its season with a 6-24 overall record, and while the Lumberjacks entered the tournament play on a nine-game losing streak, no one could question their heart and confidence taking on the perennial contenders and defending conference champion.

Freshman Alyssa Rader, named the Big Sky Outstanding Freshman just a day earlier, powered her way to 18 points and seven rebounds to lead NAU. The Lumberjacks shot just 38.9 percent from the field, but were outstanding from behind the arc at 50 percent and at the charity stripe where they shot 83.3 percent. NAU also turned the ball over just 11 times, six less than its season average, while showing everyone that the Lumberjacks were not going to back down.

"We were confident the whole game," said junior Rene Coggins. "I was proud of our confidence coming into the game. We came in not thinking that we were a 12-seed; we came in battling."

However, Montana's pedigree showed most in the fourth quarter breaking open a 51-49 game in its favor by shooting 57.1 percent in the final 10 minutes. The Lady Griz shot 45.2 percent for the game and turned the ball over just six times. Montana also outrebounded NAU, 39-32.

Rader opened the contest immediately with a three-pointer from straight away and junior Catelyn Preston followed with a triple of her own to spark NAU to an 8-3 lead. After the first quarter ended with the teams locked up at 13-all, senior Mariah Willadsen and junior Taylor Levya forced a quick timeout by Montana by scoring the first five points of the second quarter. The Lady Griz responded by going on a 7-0 run themselves, which then set the tone for a see-saw second period. In the second quarter alone, there were four tie scores and nine lead changes with Montana taking a 33-32 lead into halftime with a pair of late free throws.

The Lady Griz pushed their lead to five points, 42-37, with 5:42 left in the third quarter before Coggins tied the score again at 47-47 with a three-pointer. Rader's layup brought the score even at 49-49 – the 10th and final tie of the game –with 1:35 remaining in the quarter, only for Montana to take the lead for good two possessions later.

What was only a two-point game going into the final period got out of hand for NAU due to Montana's hot shooting. Going back to its last points of the third quarter, Montana went on a 7-0 run that all but put the game out of reach for NAU. The Lady Griz snagged the game's first double-digit lead with 5:47 remaining and withstood any significant charge by the Lumberjacks to avoid the upset.

"We wanted this game bad," Rader said. "We struggled getting stops and they shot very well tonight. I know next year we're going to be a lot better and we're going to come out fighting. Being here (in Reno), this is what it's all about and that's going to be motivating for us."

Rader was the lone Lumberjack to reach double-figures in the scoring column with Coggins and Leyva each finishing with eight points apiece. Coggins also led the team with four assists against zero turnovers and Leyva totaled two of the team's three blocks.

All was not lost as while NAU fell in defeat, the Reno Events Center had a decisive Blue & Gold feel with the Lumberjack pep band and cheer & dance teams in attendance. Not to mention that the team loses just two seniors and are slated to return their top seven scorers from this year's squad next season.

"My hat is off to our seniors Monique Mulder and Mariah Willadsen," Darling said. "But when you look at (Coggins and Rader) next to me and you look at our team coming back next year; the future is great."