GAME NOTES (PDF)

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - The Navajo Nation in Tuba City will be the site of Northern Arizona women's basketball's special Monday night contest with Antelope Valley on Nov. 27 as the two teams will square off at 6:30 p.m. in the Tuba City High School gym.

All fans are encouraged to purchase $5 general admission tickets ahead of Monday to avoid long lines at the gym's ticket window. Tickets can be purchased right now at the Bashas' at Hwy 160 & Hwy 264 in Tuba City.

NAU carries a 1-3 record into Monday's game and is coming off a high, notching its first victory of the season this past Sunday to close the Bank of Hawai'i Classic. NAU rallied to defeat Boise State, 62-60, after falling to Hawai'i, 84-68, in its tournament opener. NAU's thrilling win versus Boise State was not only head coach Loree Payne's first as the head coach of the Lumberjacks, but it also snapped a five-game losing streak dating back to last season.

Redshirt senior Olivia Lucero is one of three players in the Big Sky averaging at least 20 points a game. With a team-leading 20.5 scoring average, Lucero has eclipsed 20 or more points in three of four contests. Redshirt senior Kenna McDavis and junior Kaleigh Paplow are giving the Lumberjacks three dependable scorers, in addition to Lucero, with McDavis averaging 17.8 points and Paplow at 15.3 per game. The trio all sit inside the top 13 of the conference in scoring.

Monday's game will mark NAU Athletics' second straight year in taking a basketball game to Tuba City following the men's team last season. The previous year, the men's team hosted a game in Window Rock. NAU has three players on its roster - senior Chelena Betoney, junior Tate Tsingine and sophomore Desirae Gonzalez - with Native American heritage. Tsingine is a Tuba City native.

The game will be streamed on Pluto TV Channel 239 available at pluto.tv or the free mobile app. Fans can also listen to the game on the Lumberjack Radio Network and online at nauathletics.com/listen.

Monumental Win: Head coach Loree Payne will always remember NAU's 62-60 victory over Boise State on Nov. 19, and for good reason. The win was her first at the helm of the Lumberjack program, and it came in impressive fashion. NAU trailed Boise State, a 2017 NCAA Tournament qualifier after winning the Mountain West Conference, by 15 with less than eight minutes to play before axing its way back. Lucero converted on the game-winning basket with 1.4 seconds left to play. The 15-point deficit was the Lumberjacks' largest come-from-behind victory since they overcame a 20-point deficit to Southern Utah on Jan. 13, 2014. It was also only NAU's third all-time victory over Boise State in 19 all-time meetings. The Lumberjacks' previous victory over the Broncos was Jan. 21, 1995 when Boise State was still a member of the Big Sky Conference.

Heavy Minutes: Lucero, McDavis and Paplow have been logging big-time minutes through the first two weeks of the season. They represent three of the top four in the Big Sky in minutes per game. Lucero has played nearly every minute this season, tallying 157 of 160 minutes at an average of 39.2 per game, most in the conference. Paplow is second with 36.8 minutes per game and McDavis is fourth with 36.0 minutes per game. The only player in the top four in minutes per contest is Delaney Hodgins, the Big Sky's Preseason MVP from Eastern Washington, with 36.5.

NAU Quick Hits: The 'Jacks are the second-highest scoring team in the conference thus far with 76.5 points per game...NAU's .421 field goal percentage is third-best...Lucero leads the Big Sky with 5.5 assists per game...McDavis also leads the conference in defensive rebounding with 8.8 per game...Paplow ranks second in the conference in field goal percentage at .585...NAU has started the same starting five (Lucero, McDavis, Paplow, sophomore Peyton Carroll and freshman Lauren Orndoff) in each of its first four games.

About Antelope Valley: Antelope Valley owns a record of 5-4 this season and most recently dropped a pair of games to Weber State, 80-70, and Dixie State, 71-59, on the road this past Monday and Tuesday. The Pioneers' loss to Weber State is one of three games they have played against Division I foes this season. Their record does not include exhibition losses to Alabama and Southern Mississippi. Antelope Valley is in its second year of existence as a program. In their first year last season, the Pioneers won the NAIA Cal Pac Conference regular season championship. Facing Weber State on Monday, Antelope Valley led by six going into the fourth quarter. Samantha Earl posted team-highs of 22 points and seven rebounds with Alyssa Gonzales scoring 14 points off the bench.