CEDAR CITY, Utah (January 28, 2019) – The Northern Arizona women's basketball team used a balanced effort to snap their five-game losing streak Monday night in a 78-69 win over Southern Utah. The Lumberjacks had five players score in double-figures led by junior
Peyton Carroll's 18 in moving to 6-12 overall and 2-7 in conference play.
"With some of the adversity we've faced in the last couple of weeks, we wanted to work on our composure and outworking teams," said head coach
Loree Payne. "They stepped up tonight defensively and we didn't get outworked. We took a huge step forward tonight. I'm very proud of the team and they are showing some really great things right now. Our potential is limitless as we head into the second half of conference."
The Lumberjacks were efficient offensively, posting their third-highest field goal percentage (.468) of the season, while recording their lowest turnover count (eight).
"Turnovers won us the game," Payne said. "Eight turnovers compared to 18, and that's 10 extra possessions. That's been the difference in games that we've lost by three or four possessions."
Offensively, the 'Jacks struck the Thunderbirds down low, registering a 38-24 points in the paint advantage. The 38 points in the paint equaled NAU's second-highest total of the season and the plus-14 margin was the Lumberjacks' largest.
Carroll was the lead beneficiary as she shot 8-for-13 from the floor in her 18-point effort. She spurred the Lumberjacks' fast start, scoring eight of her points in the first quarter. Carroll also added a season-high eight rebounds.
Redshirt sophomore
Jacey Bailey recorded her second double-double of the season with 13 points and a team-high 10 boards. Bailey was also efficient, converting five of her eight field goal attempts. Senior
Kaleigh Paplow matched Bailey's 13 points and was one rebound shy of her own double-double.
NAU raced out to a 23-13 first quarter lead – their largest first quarter lead of the season – 61.1 percent in the first 10 minutes. Carroll and sophomore
Khiarica Rasheed dominated the opening period, combining for 14 points to help NAU gain its first double-digit lead since Jan. 3. With Carroll and Rasheed leading the way, the Lumberjacks scored 18 of their first 23 points in the paint.
The Thunderbirds countered the Lumberjacks' work inside with the three-point shot, using three treys to slice NAU's lead to 28-24 with 6:29 left in the first half. The 'Jacks quickly regained their double-digit advantage with a 6-0 run on buckets by Carroll, Paplow and Bailey.
NAU wound up maintaining that 10-point advantage, 39-29, into halftime. The Lumberjacks shot 51.4 percent from the field and outscored Southern Utah, 26-10, in the paint.
Southern Utah got as close as six, 44-38, in the third quarter, but a 7-0 NAU run to close the period helped the 'Jacks take a 56-41 lead into the fourth. Freshman
Regan Schenck's steal and layup pushed NAU's advantage out to a season-high 20 points, 63-43, with 7:48 to play, but Southern Utah would not go down without a fight.
The Thunderbirds trimmed the Lumberjacks' lead down to 68-61 with 55 seconds remaining, but NAU would make 10-of-12 at the charity stripe to close out its first win away from Flagstaff since Nov. 23.
Redshirt sophomore
Caitlin Malvar and Schenck both made four free throws in the final minute to keep the Thunderbirds at bay. Schenck (11) and Malvar (10) both finished in double-figure scoring, while also combining for 11 of NAU's 15 assists. Malvar recorded six helpers, while Schenck tied a season-best with five.
"We all knew we were due for a win and it was our time to put together a full 40 minutes," Carroll said. "Tonight, we were able to do that on both ends of the floor. Everyone contributed and when they went on runs, we bounced back with runs of our own."
NAU outrebounded Southern Utah, 41-38, and held the Thunderbirds to just 32.3 percent shooting. Southern Utah's field goal percentage was the lowest by an NAU opponent since Nov. 24 covering 12 games.
The Lumberjacks turn around quickly and will start their weekend at home on Thursday versus Idaho at 6:30 p.m. in the Walkup Skydome.
