YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Youngstown State converted on a layup with 4.3 seconds remaining to survive a spirited charge led by redshirt senior
Kenna McDavis, as the Northern Arizona women's basketball team fell 69-67 on Saturday. McDavis finished with 24 points and 11 rebounds, including 21 in the second half, to notch her fourth double-double of the season.
NAU's record slipped to 3-7, but the Lumberjacks fought all the back from an 18-point deficit to nearly deny the Penguins on their home court. In the second half, the 'Jacks shot 60 percent and outrebounded the Penguins by seven, but a 9-for-19 showing at the free throw line and 21 turnovers cost them.
"You can't shoot 9-for-19 from the free throw line, under 50 percent, and expect to win many games," said head coach
Loree Payne. "This is also the second game in a row we've had 20-plus turnovers, and we're not giving ourselves a chance to win at the end by making the mistakes we're making throughout the game."
Still, the 'Jacks put themselves in position to win after falling behind 14-2 to start the game with a blistering third quarter. The Lumberjacks opened the second half with a 14-2 run of their own which cut their 13-point halftime deficit to one at 42-41 with four minutes in off a layup by freshman
Khiarica Rasheed. A McDavis block on one end and a three-pointer on the other with under a minute remaining in the quarter pushed NAU ahead 50-49 – a lead it would take into the fourth.
After carrying that one-point edge, NAU had to play from behind twice more in the final period. Consecutive threes by Youngstown State gave the home team a 57-51 lead with 6:27 remaining only for NAU to even it at 58-58. The Lumberjacks then found themselves down 66-62 with 1:41 left. A McDavis three and a jumper off the glass were sandwiched around a Youngstown State split at the line, setting up a 67-67 tie with 25.2 seconds left.
The Lumberjacks could not get a shot off following the Penguins' eventual game-winning basket to ultimately fall short.
McDavis' 24 points were three shy of her career-high and was her third 20-point game of the season. She shot 8-for-14 overall and drilled four three-pointers, in addition to totaling a game-high three blocks.
"Kenna had a great game and she's still battling an injury," Payne said. "But we're still striving for that consistency and asking some of our other players to step up and be consistent."
Redshirt senior
Olivia Lucero also tallied a double-double with 11 points and 10 assists, while junior
Kaleigh Paplow chipped in 10 points herself. The Lumberjacks shot 53.1 percent for the game to the Penguins' 34.3 percent.
However, Youngstown State outscored NAU 23-12 in points off turnovers and 13-4 in second chance points. The Penguins also shot 75 percent from the line.
Youngstown State came out firing with three treys during its 14-2 start through the first three minutes of the game. The Penguins' lead ballooned up to 18 at 40-22 with 1:38 left in the first half, but the Lumberjacks seized some of the momentum back with a three from junior
Tate Tsingine and a long corner jumper from sophomore
Peyton Carroll.
NAU will head back west for its non-conference finale at CSUN on Monday. Tip-off from Northridge, Calif. will be 8 p.m. MST.
