Men's Basketball November 08, 2018

Men's Hoops Tips Off Season With Saturday Matinee at Rolle

'Jacks and Dolphins set to get underway at 12 p.m. MST

GAME 1: Northern Arizona (0-0) vs. Jacksonville (0-1)

DATE	Saturday, Nov. 10, 2018
TIME	12 p.m. MST
LOCATION	Rolle Activity Center (1,200) \| Flagstaff, Ariz.
TV	Your Phoenix CW / NAU-TV / Pluto TV (Channel 239)
RADIO	Flagstaff: 93.5 FM & AM 930 KAFF Country Legends
	Prescott: 97.9 FM The Eagle
	Phoenix: NBC Sports KDUS 1060AM
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LIVE STATS	Northern Arizona - Jacksonville Stat Feed
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GAME NOTES (PDF)

SATURDAY'S GAME
Northern Arizona opens the 2018-19 season on Saturday afternoon at home in the Rolle Activity Center vs. Jacksonville in a 12 p.m. tip that will be aired on Your Phoenix CW (Suddenlink Channel 6 in Flagstaff) and Pluto TV (Channel 239).

Jacksonville will be making its first-ever trip to Flagstaff on Saturday and the Dolphins will be playing their second game of the 2018-19 campaign after dropping a 65-50 decision at home to Florida A&M on Tuesday night (Nov. 6).

PLENTY OF ACTION RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE
The Lumberjacks will get the season started quickly with three games in five days and four over the first eight days of the regular season, beginning with the home opener vs. Jacksonville on Saturday at the Rolle Activity Center.

Following Saturday's game with Jacksonville, the 'Jacks will hit the road for a pair of games at South Dakota (Monday) and Omaha (Wednesday) before heading to the Aloha State for a showdown at Hawaii on Sunday, Nov. 18.

NAU will then play two additional road games at UC Davis (Nov. 29) and Santa Clara (Dec.1) to close out the six-game road swing before returning home to take on Utah Valley on Dec. 8 in Rolle.

ALL-TIME SERIES VS. JACKSONVILLE
The Lumberjacks lead the all-time series with Jacksonville 2-0, which includes an 83-72 victory on Dec. 20, 2017 at Swisher Gym last season.

NAU and the Dolphins only other meeting came on Nov. 30, 1984 in Albuquerque, N.M., with the 'Jacks claiming a 65-64 victory.

The Lumberjacks posted an 83-72 win at Jacksonville last season in a game that saw a total of four NAU players finish with double-figure points, including 26 by JoJo Anderson.

NAU's 23-point lead at Jacksonville on Dec. 20 was its largest in any game last season.

LUMBERJACKS HITTING THE ROAD AFTER HOME OPENER
NAU will take to the road for five consecutive games following Saturday's home opener with Jacksonville and will play a total of eight of its 10 non-conference games away from Flagstaff.

The upcoming road trip will see the 'Jacks play games at South Dakota (11/12), Omaha (11/14), Hawai'i (11/18), UC Davis (11/29) and Santa Clara (12/1).

The trip will total 6,272 air miles and 998 bus miles and cover four states.

'JACKS OPEN SEASON AT HOME FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2010-11
Northern Arizona will open the regular season with a home game for the first time since the 2010-11 season when it hosts Jacksonville on Saturday at the Rolle Activity Center.

The Lumberjacks last began the regular season at home in 2010-11 when they defeated Western New Mexico by a 96-86 margin on November 3.

LUMBERJACKS IN HOME OPENERS SINCE 2003-04
NAU will be looking to snap a two-game losing streak in home openers when it faces Jacksonville on Saturday afternoon at the Rolle Activity Center.

The Lumberjacks last won a home opener on Nov. 23, 2015 vs. San Diego Christian by a 81-65 count.

The 'Jacks have a 12-3 record in home openers since the 2003-04 season.

LUMBERJACKS IN SEASON OPENERS
NAU has lost four straight season openers dating back to a 74-63 victory over UTSA on Nov. 9, 2013. Since 2000, the 'Jacks are 6-12 in season opening games.

LET'S START WITH A WIN
The Lumberjacks will be seeking to start a season 1-0 for the first time since 2013-14 when the defeated UTSA by a 74-63 count on Nov. 9, 2013.

NAU has opened with a victory in two seasons since 2010-11.

With a victory, both the 'Jacks men's and women's basketball programs would start the season on a high note for the first time since the 2007-08 season following the women's victory over Fresno State in their season opener on Nov. 6.

In 2007-08, the men defeated Adams State in their opening game, while the women bested UT Arlington.

ANDRE SELECTED AS BIG SKY PRESEASON NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Northern Arizona men's basketball sophomore forward Jonathan (Bernie) Andre has been selected as the Big Sky Preseason Newcomer of the Year by Mid-Major Madness. He was also honored as a member of the Mid Major Madness Preseason All-Big Sky Second Team.

Andre, entering his first year at NAU after transferring from Wallace State (Ala.), where we played for one season, is expected to a top contributor for the 'Jacks after averaging 12.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists as a freshman with the Lions.

In addition, Andre rang up double-digit points in 19 of the 28 games in which he saw action for Wallace State. He was also a factor on the glass, pulling down five or more rebounds in 20 games, including 10 contests with at least seven boards. He started all 28 games he appeared in during his freshman collegiate season.

The North Miami Beach, Fla., native is a multi-faceted player that is capable at a variety of positions. With a 6'7" frame he is capable of getting physical in the painted area and possesses solid range on his jumper, which allows him to also be a factor in the perimeter game.

The Lumberjacks return three starters and six letterwinners from last season's squad. Andre is also joined by five other newcomers, including a pair of incoming freshman, two additional junior college transfers and a Division I transfer.

LOTS OF NEW FACES
New players and a fresh member of the coaching staff as well as a new attitude will be on display to fans of the Lumberjack men's basketball program in 2018-19.

During the offseason, the 'Jacks added a total of six new players to the roster, including a quartet of transfers with collegiate experience.

Among the newcomers are a trio of junior college transfers, a pair of incoming freshmen and a Division I transfer from 2018 NCAA Final Four qualifier Loyola Chicago.

One of the most promising newcomers during the preseason has been incoming sophomore Jonathan (Bernie) Andre. The North Miami Beach, Fla., native spent one season at Wallace State (Ala.) and averaged 12.9 points per game, while shooting a 45.9 clip from the field and adding 5.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists.

The multi-faceted player rang up double-digit points in 19 of the 28 games in which he saw action for the Lions. During the three-game preseason trip the Lumberjacks took to the Bahamas this summer, Andre posted a double-double in each contest and averaged 16.0 points and 12.7 rebounds over the stretch.

The final two junior college additions include a pair of junior guards in Davon Bolton and Ted McCree.

Bolton was recognized as an honorable mention All-America junior college choice last season, as a 6'2" guard out of Eastern Arizona College. A native of Seattle, Bolton played his high school hoops at Cleveland High and led the Eagles to a No. 9 ranking in the state of Washington during his senior season (2015-16).

McCree, a 6'4" guard and Detroit native, spent the last two seasons at Gillette College (Wyo.) and helped guide the Pronghorns to the Region IX Title in each of the past two seasons, including a 27-5 mark in 2017-18.

NAU also tabbed a pair of talented freshmen in its latest signing class, who are expected to make immediate contributions on both sides of the floor.

Keith Haymon, a 6-6 forward out of Cypress Ranch High School in the Houston metro area (Cypress, Texas), averaged 14.0 points and 6.3 rebounds over 28 games during his senior season for the Mustangs.

Cameron Shelton, a 6-2, left-handed guard out of Damien High School in La Verne, Calif., posted 25.5 points, 5.0 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 3.0 steals per game for the Spartans during his senior campaign.

During his junior campaign, Shelton was honored with the Most Outstanding Player Award for the San Gabriel Valley (Calif.) Area.

The final addition to the roster is sophomore guard Cameron Satterwhite, who must sit out this season after transferring from NCAA Division I member Loyola Chicago – which made an improbable run to the national semifinals of the 2018 NCAA Final Four in San Antonio.

In addition, NAU tabbed a former standout high school head coach with Arizona ties to join the coaching staff as an assistant coach and elevated veteran assistant coach Wes Pifer to associate head coach.

Joining head coach Jack Murphy's coaching staff this season is former Mesa High School head coach Shane Burcar, who spent the last 12 seasons as the head coach of the Jackrabbits while leading them to a 237-103 record during that span, including the 2016 Arizona Class 6A State Championship.

Burcar was honored on six different occasions as the region's coach of the year. His teams qualified for the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) State Playoffs in 10 of his 12 seasons at Mesa and captured seven region titles.

WHAT IS BACK
NAU returns three starters and five letterwinners from last season's squad along with a total of six newcomers, which includes a pair of freshmen and four transfers.

In addition, the 'Jacks bring back 53 percent of their scoring from last season, which saw them finish 5-27 overall and 2-16 in Big Sky Conference games.

LUMBERJACKS HIT THE BAHAMAS THIS SUMMER
The Lumberjacks spent a week in the Bahamas in mid-August for a three-game foreign tour that saw them finish a perfect 3-0.

NAU opened the trip with a 103-80 victory over IBA Elite before defeating Star Basketball Club 110-64 and the University of the Bahamas 92-82.

"We are excited to have had the opportunity to take our team overseas to the Bahamas," NAU head coach Jack Murphy said. "This trip allowed us to play some solid competition and for the players to enjoy some quality team bonding moments, which will be a benefit heading into the new season."

Sophomore Jonathan (Bernie) Andre registered a double-double performance in all three games while averaging 16 points and 12.7 boards on the trip.

BIG SKY REVEALS CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET AND SCHEDULE
The Big Sky Conference announced its six-day tournament schedule and bracket Tuesday for the 2019 Big Sky Basketball Championships, set to take place March 11-16 at CenturyLink Arena in Boise, Idaho.

The women's tournament will be held March 11-13, 15 while the men's championship will take place March 13-16. The tournament champions will receive automatic berths to the NCAA Division I Basketball Championship.

For the fourth-straight season, all Big Sky members will compete in the conference tournament with the field featuring 11 teams for both the men and women in 2019. The top five teams in the final regular season standings will earn a bye to the quarterfinal round of the Big Sky Championship. The six-day event will be held in the state of Idaho for the first time since 1994 when former Big Sky member Boise State served as the championship host.

The three first round games of the Big Sky women's championship tip off the week Monday afternoon before four quarterfinal matchups follow on Tuesday for the women.
A five-game Wednesday slate features the men's first round games, leading up to the women's semifinals in the evening.

The men's championship continues Thursday with the quarterfinals. Friday's action consists of the women's championship game, which will air on Eleven Sports, while the men's semifinals follow that night.

The week-long event wraps up Saturday with the men's championship game on the ESPN family of networks.

CenturyLink Arena is a 5,300-seat facility located in downtown Boise that has been the home of the Idaho Steelheads hockey team since opening in 1997. The arena hosts an average of 100 events annually and has welcomed over 5.5 million attendees in 20 years. It also hosts numerous concerts, trade shows, and conventions each year. CenturyLink Arena is attached to the Grove Hotel, Boise's only four-diamond hotel.

The 2019 championship will be the fourth neutral site basketball championship in the Big Sky's history after holding the event in Reno, Nevada, the previous three seasons.

WES PIFER ELEVATED TO ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH
Northern Arizona University men's basketball head coach Jack Murphy announced that assistant coach Wes Pifer has been promoted to associate head coach for the Lumberjacks.

"I am excited to announce that Wes Pifer is being named associate head coach," Murphy said. "Wes is a diligent worker, has outstanding relationships with our current student-athletes and has shown a great ability to recruit the state of Arizona, the west coast and junior colleges. He adds so much not only to our basketball program, but to our athletic department as a whole. I couldn't be more proud to continue to have Wes by my side in the role of associate head coach."

Pifer has worked directly with NAU's guards since his arrival in Flagstaff in 2013 and has helped develop multiple players at that position who have earned All-Big Sky honors, including 2016 All-Big Sky First Team choice Kris Yanku, who finished his career as the program's all-time leader in made free throws.

In addition, another of Pifer's pupils, Quinton Upshur was honored as the 2014 Big Sky Newcomer of the Year and a first-team All-Big Sky choice. Upshur totaled 549 points during the 2014-15 campaign, which is the fifth-highest single-season total in NAU annals.

Since Pifer's arrival in 2013, a total of 17 guards ranked among the top five scorers on the squad over his initial five seasons (out of 25 total players), including a total of four in his initial season in 2013-14 when NAU finished tied for second overall in the Big Sky Conference with a league mark of 12-8.

In 2017-18, guards Torry Johnson (11.5 ppg), JoJo Anderson (11.1 ppg) and Karl Harris (8.2 ppg) ranked as the 'Jacks top-three point producers.

During the 2014-15 season, Pifer was an integral part in the Lumberjacks securing a program-record 23 wins and a run to the championship game of the CollegeInsider.com postseason tournament.

Prior to NAU, Pifer spent two seasons as an assistant coach at North Carolina Central (2011-13), two seasons at St. Andrews University (2009-11) and one season at Miami-Dade College (2008-09).

Pifer played collegiately at Methodist University (2000-02) and Penn State-Altoona (2002-04). He also played professionally overseas for BBG Hartford in the Germany 2 Regionalliga.

SHANE BURCAR JOINS LUMBERJACK COACHING STAFF
The Northern Arizona men's basketball team has named Shane Burcar as assistant coach, NAU head coach Jack Murphy officially announced.

"I am excited to bring Shane Burcar to our staff," Murphy said. "He has built a great tradition at Mesa High School and has been one of the most respected high school coaches in the state of Arizona. To have his expertise and coaching prowess, I think is a great addition. In addition to being a great coach, he is a great person with a terrific family. They are all excited to be a part of the NAU family and the Flagstaff culture."

Burcar spent the last 12 seasons as the head coach at Mesa High School and led the Jackrabbits to a 237-103 record during that span, including the 2016 Arizona Class 6A State Championship. Burcar was honored on six different occasions as the region's coach of the year. His teams qualified for the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) State Playoffs in 10 of his 12 seasons at Mesa and captured seven region titles.

Burcar's primary focus will be on the offensive end of the floor and he will assist in the mentoring of the Lumberjacks' guards and wing players. He will also play a large part in the recruiting aspects of the program, given his significant connections to the Phoenix metro area.

"He will be focusing on the offensive side of the game," Murphy said. "I love how his teams played down at Mesa High School, so he will be assisting me primarily on that side of the floor."

In his final season at the helm of the Mesa High program, Burcar led the Jackrabbits to a 21-6 overall mark and advanced to the AIA State Playoffs for the sixth consecutive season.

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Players Mentioned

#4 JoJo Anderson: G; 6' 3"; Sophomore

#0 Torry Johnson: G; 6' 3"; Redshirt Junior

#14 Karl Harris: G; 6' 5"; Senior

#10 Bernie Andre: F; 6' 7"; Sophomore

#1 Davon Bolton: G; 6' 2"; Junior

#34 Ted McCree: G; 6' 4"; Junior

#13 Keith Haymon: F; 6' 6"; Freshman

#20 Cameron Shelton: G; 6' 2"; Freshman

#0 Cameron Satterwhite: G; 6' 4"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#4 JoJo Anderson
: 6' 3"; Sophomore
: G

#0 Torry Johnson
: 6' 3"; Redshirt Junior
: G

#14 Karl Harris
: 6' 5"; Senior
: G

#10 Bernie Andre
: 6' 7"; Sophomore
: F

#1 Davon Bolton
: 6' 2"; Junior
: G

#34 Ted McCree
: 6' 4"; Junior
: G

#13 Keith Haymon
: 6' 6"; Freshman
: F

#20 Cameron Shelton
: 6' 2"; Freshman
: G

#0 Cameron Satterwhite
: 6' 4"; Junior
: G