OGDEN, Utah – The Northern Arizona women's basketball team got four players in double-figures and cut an 18-point lead down to six in the fourth quarter in an eventual 77-63 loss to Weber State. The Lumberjacks (4-18, 1-10 Big Sky) gave the first-place Wildcats a scare with a spirited comeback before dropping their eighth straight game.
Redshirt senior
Olivia Lucero led the four 'Jacks in double-digit scoring with 18 points along with nine assists. Both redshirt senior
Kenna McDavis (12 points, 11 rebounds) and freshman
Khiarica Rasheed (14 points, 11 rebounds) posted double-doubles. For McDavis, Saturday marked her eighth double-double of the season, while Rasheed's season-high scoring game was part of her second double-double. Junior
Kaleigh Paplow added 13 points.
It was the first time in conference play that NAU had four players score in double-figures. Three players also recorded double-digit rebounds for the first time in league play as NAU controlled the glass, 49-41. In addition to McDavis and Rasheed, freshman
Lauren Orndoff pulled down a season-high 10 rebounds.
In a 14-point loss, the critical stretch came in the second quarter when Weber State used a 15-4 run to extend what was just a 22-20 lead. After a McDavis jumper cut NAU's deficit to a single possession, the Wildcats hit three triples during their decisive run that forced a Lumberjack timeout with under four minutes in the first half with the Wildcats' lead pushed out to 37-24.
"The second quarter was a struggle for us," said head coach
Loree Payne. "For us, we're trying to put together a 40-minute game. We have one big lapse and it's not consistent when it is, so we almost have to anticipate one of those lapses happening and figure out how to slow it down."
The three-point arc proved to be a big difference maker for Weber State as the home team made 12 triples to three by NAU. Eight of the Wildcats' dozen three-pointers came before halftime as they took a 43-29 lead into the intermission.
"I felt like we gave them too easy looks in the first half," Payne said. "We left some of their hot hands open. We knew they were a good three-point shooting team and we gave them a couple that would have been critical for us to have back to potentially have a different outcome."
The game started out in a back-and-forth fashion with all four of the game's ties and three lead changes coming in the opening period. Weber State ultimately led 19-16 at the end of the first despite NAU exerting its will inside with a plus-five rebounding margin and a 14-4 advantage in the paint.
Weber State's halftime lead grew to a game-high 18 at 47-29 with consecutive baskets to start the second half before NAU managed to cut its deficit to 12 with a quick 6-0 run late in the third quarter. Lucero capped the short spurt with back-to-back buckets to bring the game to 56-44, only for Weber State to respond with consecutive field goals.
With the 'Jacks facing a 61-46 deficit entering the fourth quarter, McDavis and Lucero combined for a 7-0 run to close the gap to 66-58 with 4:35 left. Two free throws by Lucero once again got the Lumberjacks within eight with a little over a minute remaining in the game at 71-63. However, the Wildcats converted on 6-of-8 free throws to close the game and seal up the victory.
NAU shot only 34.8 percent from the field compared to Weber State's 39.4 percent clip. The Lumberjacks did make a significant improvement on their season-worst 28 turnovers from two nights ago by committing just 13 on Saturday.
Next week, NAU plays a single game on Saturday at Southern Utah at 12:30 p.m. Following that game, the Lumberjacks will have four of their last six at home.
