FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Hamstrung by an off-night offensively and defensive lapses in the paint, the Northern Arizona women's basketball team suffered a 75-55 loss to Idaho State on Saturday. The Lumberjacks (4-11 overall, 1-3 Big Sky) shot only 28.3 percent for the game compared to the Bengals' 45.8 percent clip during the late afternoon contest in the Walkup Skydome.
"The most frustrating thing right now is that we're getting good looks but we're not knocking them down," said head coach
Loree Payne. "I feel like we missed a lot of easy shots that if we were more on balance, we'd be able to finish them. Idaho State is a great team with some quality wins. The biggest thing with our team is that we're taking steps forward and then we're taking steps back."
The Bengals' high offensive efficiency was the result of 34 points in the paint, including 16 in the third quarter when they essentially put the game away. They were plus-22 in the paint, and also held a sizeable 20-6 advantage in points off turnovers capitalizing on 17 Lumberjack miscues.
Meanwhile, the Lumberjacks could not get their shots to fall against the Big Sky's leader in field goal defense as they had their second-worst shooting game of the season – both of which have come in the last three games overall. Redshirt senior
Kenna McDavis made four shots from behind the arc on her way to a team-high 16 points. Freshman
Kaprice Boston reset her career-high for the second straight game, scoring 10 points as the only other 'Jack in double-figures.
The Lumberjacks started the game well and found themselves in front, 10-7, when sophomore
Peyton Carroll – who had eight points off the bench – knocked down a jumper with 4:35 remaining in the first period. However, NAU would go nearly six minutes without a field goal before another Carroll bucket snapped the drought. By then, Idaho State had seized the lead and would not give it back.
Still the 'Jacks trailed just 23-17 three minutes into the second quarter after Boston split a trip to the line, but a 12-2 Bengal run over the next five minutes provided them with their largest lead of the first half of 16 points.
NAU started the second half within striking distance – especially after overcoming a 17-point deficit on Thursday versus Weber State – trailing 35-21 at halftime, but Idaho State dominated the paint in the third quarter. With 16 points around the rim, Idaho State's points in the paint were more than NAU's total third quarter output as the Bengals' lead stood at 62-35 going into the fourth quarter.
The Lumberjacks had their best quarter of the game in the fourth, outscoring the Bengals by seven, but the score through 30 minutes was too much to overcome. Senior
Chelena Betoney scored all of her career-high seven points in the fourth, including 4-of-4 at the free throw line.
Betoney's free throw exploits was part of a bright spot for NAU, as the 'Jacks shot a season-best 86.4 percent from the charity stripe. They were a perfect 14-for-14 as a team in the second half and was 19-for-22 overall.
McDavis led the team with seven rebounds and freshman
Lauren Orndoff recorded season-bests of four assists and three steals to pace NAU in both categories.
NAU plays just a single game next week, concluding its three-game homestand in the Skydome with Southern Utah on Saturday, Jan. 13 at 5 p.m.
