FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (January 31, 2019) – The Northern Arizona women's basketball team played Idaho even in the second half, but their halftime deficit was too much to overcome Thursday night with the Vandals claiming an 86-69 victory in the Walkup Skydome. Although NAU (6-13, 2-8 Big Sky) shot the ball well, Idaho was red-hot from behind the arc draining 15 three-pointers to derail the Blue & Gold.
"They shot the heck out of the ball and it's tough to guard any team who is hitting those types of shots," said head coach
Loree Payne. "I thought we made it difficult for them too. But we lost this game in the first half giving up offensive rebounds and second chance points. I'm super proud of how they responded in the second half."
Idaho turned nine first half offensive rebounds into 18 second chance points spurring the Vandals to a 50-33 halftime advantage. Idaho also shot 50 percent in the first half. The Lumberjacks managed to turn it around in the second half, cutting their turnovers down from nine to four and also allowing only four Vandal offensive rebounds. Idaho only scored four second chance points after the intermission.
Still, NAU was unable to significantly cut into Idaho's lead in the second half, only managing to get as close as 13. Idaho wound up shooting 44.1 percent for the game, but held a large advantage from deep knocking down 15-of-40 three-point attempts while NAU connected on six threes.
Despite the loss, NAU shot 40.3 percent for the game and 42.9 percent from three. The Lumberjacks also outrebounded the Vandals, 43-36. Four players led by senior
Kaleigh Paplow's 14 scored in double-figures while four players grabbed at least seven rebounds. Paplow also led the team with nine boards.
"Offensively, I thought we found our flow, but it was tough facing a very good shooting team on a night they got hot," Payne said.
Idaho went out on a 10-2 run to start the game and led 28-17 after the first quarter. In gaining its 11-point first quarter lead, the Vandals punished the Lumberjacks to an 11-1 second chance point advantage right from the beginning of the game. That offset an otherwise strong offensive start for NAU with the Lumberjacks shooting 46.7 percent from the field and sophomore
Khiarica Rasheed scoring seven first quarter points.
After giving up its highest first half point total of the season (50) and trailing by as much as 23 at 56-33 following consecutive Idaho three-pointers to open the second half, the 'Jacks buckled down. A Paplow layup off an inbounds play brought NAU within 62-49 with 2:32 remaining in the third quarter, but Idaho closed the period with an 8-1 run.
The Lumberjacks never got closer than 17 – their halftime deficit – in the final quarter, which also proved to be the final margin on the ledger.
Rasheed posted 13 points and seven boards in addition to tying her career-high with a team-leading four assists. Junior
Peyton Carroll and freshman
Regan Schenck finished with 12 and 11 points respectively.
NAU recorded 19 assists on 27 field goal makes to help the Lumberjacks shoot 40 percent for the second consecutive game for the first time since doing so in the fourth and fifth games of the season. All but one player registered an assist Thursday evening.
Unfortunately, Idaho's 15 three-pointers were NAU's highest opponent total in over a year since Montana State hit 16 treys on Dec. 30, 2017.
NAU will move back into the Rolle Activity Center for its next game on Saturday. The Lumberjacks will celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day with their 2 p.m. contest versus Eastern Washington.
