OMAHA, Neb. (Nov. 14, 2018) – The Northern Arizona men's basketball team posted a near wire-to-wire victory at Omaha on Wednesday night as it defeated the Mavericks 76-66 for its second win in three games this season.
The Lumberjacks raced out to a 23-9 lead and trailed for a total of just 56 seconds in moving to 2-1 overall on the season and sending Omaha's record to 1-2.
"In my seven years here, that was the most solid non-conference road win we have had," NAU head coach
Jack Murphy said. "The guys started the game out with a terrific run. We came out with a different starting five and the guys adapted and accepted their roles so well. It showed in our performance."
Sophomore guard
Carlos Hines and junior forward
Brooks DeBisschop entered the starting lineup for the Lumberjacks for the first time this season in a game that marked NAU's third in five days.
The Lumberjacks took their first lead at 4-3 just 1:36 into the contest and never trailed again. The Mavericks battled back to tie the game on three occasions, with the last coming with 18:05 left in regulation, but would never reclaim the lead.
NAU's scoring was well balanced throughout the contest as a total of nine Lumberjacks had recorded points by halftime. Junior
Davon Bolton led the way for the 'Jacks with a team-best 16 points on 6-of-13 shooting. He also added eight rebounds and four assists.
Junior
Ted McCree notched 11 points in the win and redshirt freshman
Nik Mains added 10 key points off the bench, including a pair of three-pointers. Sophomore
Bernie Andre chipped in seven points and a team-best nine rebounds.
NAU's defense limited Omaha to just a 40.9 (27-of-66) shooting clip from the field and posted 10 steals and recorded six blocks.
After opening the early lead, the Lumberjacks answered each time that the Mavericks made an effort to creep back into the game. Following a 19-5 run by Omaha in the later portion of the first half that erased the NAU lead and tied the game at 28-28, the Lumberjacks followed with five consecutive points to reclaim control.
A three-pointer by Omaha on the final play of the first half sent the teams into the break with the 'Jacks clinging to a 32-31 lead.
The Lumberjacks didn't waste any time reclaiming momentum in the second half as they ran out to a 52-42 edge just 8:19 into the final 20 minutes behind an 8-0 spurt that was sparked by baskets from Hines, Bolton, Mains and
Cameron Shelton.
Omaha managed to tie the game twice in the second half, but each time NAU managed to keep its lead intact. The closest the Mavericks would get down the stretch was five points at 66-61 with 2:45 left.
For the third straight game, the NAU bench was dominant as it outscored the Mavericks' reserves 33-13. Over the first three contests, the 'Jacks' bench has bested their opponents 110-53.
The Lumberjacks will head to the Aloha State for a meeting with Hawai'i on Sunday, Nov. 18 in Honolulu in the third game of the current five-game road swing. Tip time is scheduled for 8 p.m. MST.
The NAU-Hawai'i contest will be aired on the Lumberjack Radio Network beginning with the pregame show at 7:30 p.m. MST.
The 'Jacks' game at Hawai'i will also be streamed live at:
BigWest.TV – Click Here
