| GAME 28: Northern Arizona (9-18, 7-10 Big Sky) at Montana State (12-14, 9-7 Big Sky) |
| GAME 29: Northern Arizona (9-18, 7-10 Big Sky) at Montana (20-7, 13-3 Big Sky) |
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (February 27, 2019) – The Northern Arizona men's basketball team begins a three-game road trip that will wrap up the regular season portion of the season schedule on Saturday afternoon at Montana State in a 2 p.m. MST tip.
The Lumberjacks will then head about 200 miles west to Missoula to take on current Big Sky leader Montana in a 7 p.m. start on Monday night.
Each of the Lumberjacks' games will be streamed to a national audience on Pluto TV (Channel 238/Montana State) (Channel 237/Montana) and aired on the Lumberjack Radio Network, beginning with the pregame show 30 minutes before tip.
Following this week's trip to the Treasure State, the Lumberjacks will close out the roadswing at Northern Colorado on Saturday, March 9 before beginning the postseason run at the Big Sky Conference Championship in Boise, Idaho on March 13-16.
The Lumberjacks currently own an overall record of 9-18 and a 7-10 mark in Big Sky Conference action. NAU currently sits in eighth place in the league standings with three games left to play. The 'Jacks are currently 1.5 games behind Portland State for seventh place and two games behind Southern Utah for sixth. The top five teams in the Big Sky standings will earn a bye in the upcoming conference tournament.
NAU enters Saturday's game at Montana State leading the Bobcats in the all-time series 52-48. The Lumberjacks defeated the Bobcats 74-68 in Flagstaff on Dec. 31 in the initial meeting between the programs this season. NAU has won each of its last two matchups with Montana State including a 77-75 win in Bozeman on Jan. 25, 2018.
The 'Jacks are 14-32 all-time vs. Montana State in road games and have won in two of their last three trips to Bozeman.
The Bobcats currently own an overall record of 12-14 and are 9-7 in Big Sky play (fourth place). Montana State has dropped each of its last two games, after posting four consecutive victories, entering Saturday's contest with NAU.
NAU trails all-time series with Montana 70-32 and are 11-37 against the Grizzlies in games played in Missoula entering Monday's clash. Montana leads the Big Sky Conference with a 13-3 league mark and are 20-7 overall on the season. The Grizzlies dropped their last game by a 74-72 margin vs. Northern Colorado, which snapped a 10-game winning streak for Montana. The Grizzlies have already clinched an opening round bye in the 2019 Big Sky Conference Championship.
The 'Jacks have lost eight consecutive meetings vs. Montana. The Lumberjacks last victory in the series came during the 2013-14 campaign by a 67-47 margin at the Walkup Skydome. NAU last win in Missoula also came in 2013-14, which was the last time the 'Jacks swept the season series from the Grizzlies.
The Lumberjacks currently have a total of three players averaging double-figure points, led by reigning Big Sky Player of the Week sophomore
Bernie Andre's team-best 13.7 points per game. Andre became the first Lumberjack in over four years to be honored by the conference after posting back-to-back double-doubles and career bests in both points and rebounds last week.
Joining Andre in double-digits for the 'Jacks are sophomore
Carlos Hines, who has tallied a 12.5 ppg average and scored a career-high 32 points vs. Eastern Washington last week. Junior
Ted McCree rounds out the Lumberjacks' scoring leaders with an 11.1 scoring average.
In addition, freshman
Luke Avdalovic continues to be a major weapon for the Lumberjacks from beyond the arc. He currently leads the Big Sky and ranks 11th nationally with a .492 (58-of-118) shooting percentage from three-point range.
NAU (9-18, 7-10 Big Sky) has already eclipsed its conference and overall win total from last season. The conference win total marks the earliest point in a season that the 'Jacks have secured three Big Sky victories since 2014-15.
About Montana State:
Record: 12-14, 9-7 Big Sky
2018-19 Preseason Big Sky Coaches/Media Polls: T-6th/5th
All-Time Series: NAU leads 52-48
Last Meeting: NAU, 74-68 (Dec. 31, 2018)
About Montana:
Record: 20-7, 13-3 Big Sky
2018-19 Preseason Big Sky Coaches/Media Polls: 1st/1st
All-Time Series: NAU trails 70-32
Last Meeting: Montana, 86-73 (Dec. 29, 2018)
