NAU MBB GAME NOTES (PDF)
WATCH ON PLUTO.TV
WATCH BIG SKY.COM
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (March 1, 2018) – The Northern Arizona men's basketball team closes out the regular season this week with a pair of games at Idaho (Thursday, March 1) and Eastern Washington (Saturday, March 3) before opening postseason play at the 2018 Big Sky Championship in Reno on Tuesday, March 6.
The Lumberjacks will open the road swing with am 8 p.m. MST tip at Idaho on Thursday, March 1 that will be streamed live on
Pluto.TV (channel 242). Saturday's contest at Eastern Washington will also be available via
Pluto.TV (channel 234) beginning at 3 p.m. MST.
Each game can also be accessed online via
WatchBigSky.com.
Both games will 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 slotted in as the No. 12 seed for the 2018 Big Sky Conference Championship next week, which would see them play in the 3:35 p.m. MST game on Tuesday, March 6. NAU can move up to the No. 11 seed with a win over either Idaho or Eastern Washington this week combined with a loss by Sacramento State in one of its final two home games against North Dakota or Northern Colorado.
Northern Arizona is currently 5-24 overall and 2-14 in Big Sky action entering the final week of regular-season action. Three of NAU's five wins this season have some in true road games.
Junior
Torry Johnson and sophomore
JoJo Anderson lead the Lumberjacks with identical 11.8 point per game scoring averages. Johnson has posted double-digit scoring efforts in three consecutive games and eight of the last 10 overall.
Freshman
Karl Harris is soaring up the all-time NAU freshman scoring list with his current rookie season total of 242 points, which ranks eighth-best all time. Harris enters the week four points shy of Gabe Rogers seventh-place total of 246 points and within striking distance of teammate Johnson's fifth-place total of 270 points.
Sophomore
Brooks DeBisschop paces NAU on the glass with a team-best 7.4 rebounds per contest (fourth-best in Big Sky Conference). He has tallied six double-figure rebounding totals this season.
Idaho enters Thursday's matchup with a 20-8 overall record and a 12-4 mark in Big Sky Conference games. The Vandals have won seven of their last eight games overall and defeated NAU 84-80 in the initial meeting between the teams on Jan. 20 in Flagstaff. Johnson led the 'Jacks with 25 points in the loss and DeBisschop posted a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds.
Idaho is led by Victor Sanders who is averaging 18.9 points per game, which also ranks fourth among Big Sky Conference leaders. Brayon Blake chips in 16.2 ppg, which sits ninth best on the conference scoring list.
The Lumberjacks are 19-41 in the all-time series vs. Idaho and will be looking to snap a 12-game losing streak vs. the Vandals in Moscow on Thursday.
Eastern Washington enters the week with a record of 16-13, which includes an 11-5 mark in Big Sky action. The Eagles have won four straight games and will open the week against Southern Utah on Thursday night at home before hosting the 'Jacks on Saturday afternoon.
Bogdan Bliznyuk paces Eastern Washington with a 20.2 ppg scoring average (third-best in Big Sky). He also is the reigning Big Sky Conference Player of the Week and has earned the honor a conference-best four times this season.
The Lumberjacks are 31-37 vs. Eastern Washington in the all-time series which includes an 81-76 loss in the first game between the programs on Jan. 18 in Flagstaff. NAU has dropped six consecutive games in Cheney to the Eagles with its last victory coming during the 2009-10 season by a 73-69 margin.
ROAD TO RENO
- Tickets for the Big Sky Men's and Women's Basketball Championships can be purchased at www.RoadtoReno.com.
