NAU MBB GAME NOTES
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (Feb. 12, 2018) – The Northern Arizona men's basketball team will head north this week for a pair of Big Sky road games at Northern Colorado and North Dakota as it opens a stretch that will see it play four of its final six regular-season games away from home.
The Lumberjacks will open the road swing on Thursday, Feb. 15 in Greeley, Colo., with a 7 p.m. MST tip at Northern Colorado before closing out the trip with a matinee on Saturday, Feb. 17 in a 3 p.m. MST start at North Dakota.
Thursday's meeting with the Bears at Bank of Colorado Arena will be streamed on
Pluto.TV (channel 241). Saturday's contest at North Dakota will also be streamed on
Pluto.TV (channel 240). Both games can also be accessed online via
WatchBigSky.com.
Each game will also be broadcast live on the Lumberjack Radio Network with the voice of the Lumberjacks Mitch Strohman on the call beginning with the pregame show 30 minutes prior to tipoff.
The Lumberjacks are currently 4-21 overall and 1-11 in Big Sky action entering this week's action and will be looking to snap a four-game losing streak following a 63-54 setback to Southern Utah in their most recent action on Feb. 10. Three of NAU's four wins this season have some in true road games.
Leading scorer
JoJo Anderson (12.0 ppg) returned to action in the loss vs. Southern Utah this past Saturday after missing the previous four games due to injury. Junior
Torry Johnson has been the 'Jacks most consistent scorer of late with an average of 18.7 points over the last six games and double-figure scoring totals in five of the last six contests overall.
Sophomore
Brooks DeBisschop paces NAU on the glass with a team-best 7.7 rebounds per contest (third-best in Big Sky Conference) and has pulled down double-digit board totals in four of the last six games while posting a 10.5 rebounding average over that stretch.
Northern Colorado enters Thursday's matchup with a 16-10 overall record and a 7-6 mark in Big Sky Conference games. The Bears have dropped three of their last five games, but own a solid 9-3 mark at home this season (5-2 in Big Sky home contests).
UNC is led by Andre Spight who is averaging 20.7 points per game, which also ranks third among Big Sky Conference leaders. Jordan Davis chips in 15.8 ppg, which sits 10
th best on the conference scoring list.
The Lumberjacks are 11-16 vs. Northern Colorado, but defeated the Bears 63-50 in the most recent meeting on Jan. 26, 2017.
North Dakota enters the week with a record of 8-17 which includes a 3-10 mark in Big Sky action. The Fighting Hawks have lost three straight games and five of their last six outings overall. They will open the week against Southern Utah on Thursday night at home before hosting the 'Jacks on Saturday afternoon.
Geno Crandall paces North Dakota with a 16.0 ppg scoring average (ninth-best in Big Sky). He is one five Fighting Hawks that are currently averaging double-figure scoring totals.
The Lumberjacks are 4-5 vs. North Dakota in the all-time series and split the season series a year ago with each team capturing a victory on its home court.
This week's games will represent Northern Arizona first meetings with both Northern Colorado and North Dakota this season.
ROAD TO RENO
- Tickets for the Big Sky Men's and Women's Basketball Championships can be purchased at www.RoadtoReno.com.
