GAME NOTES (PDF)

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - The Northern Arizona women's basketball team closes a three-game homestand this Saturday versus Southern Utah at 5 p.m. in the Walkup Skydome. The Lumberjacks take a 4-11 overall record and a 1-3 mark in the Big Sky into the first of two single-game weeks against their conference travel partner.

NAU split its two games last week starting with a thrilling one-point 76-75 victory over Weber State. Redshirt senior Kenna McDavis capped a 17-point comeback with the game-winning shot with 18 seconds remaining to clinch the Lumberjacks' first conference victory. However, NAU struggled in a 75-55 loss to Idaho State with its second-lowest shooting game of the season at 28.3 percent.

McDavis averaged 18.0 points and 9.0 rebounds in last week's games, including notching her sixth double-double of the season in the Weber State victory. McDavis ranks eighth in the Big Sky with a team-high 16.2 points per game while leading the conference with 9.6 rebounds per game. The Lumberjacks are getting 15.3 points and 4.9 assists per game from redshirt senior Olivia Lucero. Last Thursday versus Weber State, Lucero notched her fifth 20-point game. Freshman Kaprice Boston came on strong last week, setting a new career-best point total in consecutive games. After scoring nine points versus Weber State, Boston recorded her first career double-digit game with 10 points versus Idaho State.

Despite their struggles in conference play, the 'Jacks still rank sixth in the conference with 70.8 points per game. The Lumberjacks are second in the conference in rebounding with 42.3 per game including a Big Sky best 40.5 rebounds in conference play.

The game will be broadcast locally in Flagstaff on NAU-TV Suddenlink Channel 4 and 104 in addition to CW6 in Phoenix. Online, the game will be streamed on the Pluto TV app or pluto.tv for free and watchbigsky.com.

Offense, Where Are Thou?: The Lumberjacks are last in the Big Sky in scoring offense (58.0), field goal percentage (.341), three-point field goal percentage (.266) and three-pointers per game (5.3) in conference play. NAU's two lowest shooting games of the season have come in the first two weeks of conference play. The Lumberjacks shot 23.4 percent on the road at Montana State on Dec. 30 and 28.3 percent versus Idaho State on Jan. 6. Entering conference play, the Lumberjacks had the second-highest scoring offense (75.5), fourth-best field goal percentage (.429) and fourth-best three-point percentage (.351) in the Big Sky.

Wild Dome Opener: The Lumberjacks scored a gritty first conference win in their first game in the Walkup Skydome on Jan. 4. NAU rallied from a 17-point third quarter deficit to edge Weber State, 76-75, and snapping a six-game losing streak in the process. NAU finished the third quarter on a 6-0 run and made 12-of-19 field goals in the fourth quarter to complete the comeback from a 52-37 deficit with four minutes left in the third period. The .706 fourth quarter field goal percentage tied NAU's second-best all-time field goal percentage in a quarter. The 'Jacks also matched a season-high with 29 points in the quarter.

One Fact to Know Versus Southern Utah: The Lumberjacks have won the last 10 meetings versus the Thunderbirds in Flagstaff including a 77-65 win last season on Feb. 18.

NAU Quick Hits: The Lumberjacks are second in the Big Sky with a .389 opponent field goal percentage...NAU's field goal defense in conference play is .416...Junior Kaleigh Paplow ranks third in conference play with 3.5 offensive rebounds per game...Sophomore Peyton Carroll is shooting 56.3 percent from the field through four Big Sky games.

About Southern Utah: Southern Utah snapped a nine-game losing streak last week by defeating Idaho State, 76-70, at home on Thursday. The Thunderbirds then fell to Weber State, 77-64, and are now 2-13 overall and 1-3 in the Big Sky. Southern Utah was picked 12th in both preseason conference polls. Breanu Reid is the Thunderbirds' leading scorer at 12.7 points per game. She is shooting 35.4 percent from the field and is also averaging 2.5 rebounds per game. Rebecca Cardenas is fourth in the conference in assists with 4.6 per game and is second with a 2.0 assist-to-turnover ratio. Cardenas is also third in steals at 2.9 per game and second with a .895 free throw percentage. Southern Utah is averaging just 62.2 points per game and allowing 73.9 points per game. Although they are last in the conference in field goal percentage (.360), the Thunderbirds lead the Big Sky with 11.8 steals per game.