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FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (January 30, 2019) – After four straight road contests, the Northern Arizona women's basketball team returns home for the first time in nearly three weeks on Thursday versus Idaho in the Walkup Skydome at 6:30 p.m. The Lumberjacks will also host Eastern Washington on Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Rolle Activity Center, due to the Track & Field Mountain T's Invitational in the Skydome.
The first 500 fans will receive a white NAU Basketball t-shirt and all fans are encouraged to wear white to the game for Thursday's game in the Skydome. On Saturday, NAU will be celebrating National Girls and Women in Sports Day with a free
pregame youth clinic in Rolle. The first 200 fans will receive an NAU branded water bottle prior to Saturday's tilt.
The Lumberjacks head into their matchup against the Big Sky's Preseason favorite on Thursday with momentum following a 78-69 victory against Southern Utah on the road Monday night. The win snapped NAU's five-game losing streak and was the Lumberjacks' first win away from home since Nov. 23. Junior
Peyton Carroll paced a full team effort with a team-high 18 points as NAU improved to 6-12 overall and 2-7 in conference play. Over her last eight games, Carroll has reached double-figure scoring in six of them and is averaging 12.0 points per game in that span.
"We take it one game and one practice at a time," said head coach
Loree Payne. "Hopefully we can shoot the way we did on Monday. For us, we want to polish what we're doing right now and focusing on the things we can control – our effort, our energy and attitudes. Besides the Portland State game (on Jan. 19), we've been in every single game and had an opportunity to win. Whoever we play, we're going to put our best foot forward and play our best game."
Redshirt sophomore
Jacey Bailey registered her second double-double of the season, posting 13 points and 10 rebounds in Monday's victory. Bailey's emergence in the scoring column has coincided with Carroll's as Bailey is averaging 11.8 points over the last eight games. Senior
Kaleigh Paplow (13), freshman
Regan Schenck (11) and redshirt sophomore
Caitlin Malvar (10) also reached double-figures. It was the third time this season that NAU has had five players score 10-plus points in a game.
Idaho comes into the game with a 9-8 overall record. The Vandals are one of four teams with two conference losses at 6-2 in conference play. Idaho swept its homestand last week, defeating Sacramento State (104-66) and Portland State (80-78).
Eastern Washington lost to Portland State (76-64) and Sacramento State (73-70) at home last week, but has improved vastly in conference play. The Eagles are just 4-13 overall, but are 3-5 in the Big Sky.
Paplow continues to lead the Lumberjacks in scoring (14.6), rebounding (7.7), assists (3.5) and steals (1.7), while ranking in the top 12 of the Big Sky in all four categories. Paplow has scored in double-figures in 15 games and recorded at least seven rebounds in 13 games thus far this season. Sophomore
Khiarica Rasheed is averaging 11.1 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, both of which place her second on the team behind Paplow.
NAU is coming off one of its best offensive performances of the season. The Lumberjacks' 78 points against the Thunderbirds were their third-highest total this season, while NAU shot its third-highest percentage from the field (.468) as well. Both marks were the team's best since their win over California Baptist on Nov. 17. Defensively, NAU held both Northern Colorado and Southern Utah to under 70 points last week. The two teams shot a combined 34.4 percent overall and 26.4 percent from three-point range as NAU limited back-to-back opponents under 70 points for the first time since doing so in three straight games between Nov. 23-Dec. 5.
For the season, NAU is averaging 64.8 points per game and allowing 71.7 points per game.
Both of his week's games will be available on Pluto TV Channel 239
online and on the free mobile app in addition to
watchbigsky.com. NAU-TV will also be televising Thursday's game.
About Idaho:
Record: 9-8, 6-2 Big Sky
2018-19 Preseason Big Sky Coaches/Media Polls: First/First
All-Time Series: UI, 18-9
Last Meeting: UI, 93-83 (Feb. 28, 2018)
About Eastern Washington:
Record: 4-13, 3-5 Big Sky
2018-19 Preseason Big Sky Coaches/Media Polls: Seventh/Fifth
All-Time Series: EWU, 39-26
Last Meeting: EWU, 98-83 (March 2, 2018)
