FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (Feb. 7, 2019) – Idaho State junior Chier Maker hit the game-winning shot with under a second left in regulation to lift the Bengals to an 81-79 victory over the Northern Arizona University men's basketball team on Thursday night at the J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome.
NAU (7-15, 5-7) trailed by 19 points with 17 minutes left in the contest, but pushed back as it rallied to deadlock the score at 79-79 with 21 seconds remaining on a tip in by
Carlos Hines off a missed shot by teammate
Luke Avdalovic.
The loss marked the Lumberjacks' third this season by two points or less. The hard-luck losses have seen NAU's opponent score the winning basket with under two seconds left in each defeat.
"Idaho State came in here and beat us, that is what happened," NAU head coach
Jack Murphy said. "We did not do a good job of defending the three-point line and that was one of the big keys coming into the game. When we did defend it, obviously we got stops and got right back into the game."
Idaho State (9-12, 5-7) got off to a fast start as it ran out to an early 10-point advantage that saw it shoot over 75 percent for the opening 10 minutes of the game. The Lumberjacks battled back to take the lead on a three-pointer by junior
Ted McCree at 33-31 at the 5:14 mark but it wouldn't last as the Bengals responded with a 19-6 spurt to close the half and go into the break with an 11-point edge at 50-39. The 50 points were the most allowed by NAU in the first half of any game this season.
The Lumberjacks were a different team defensively in the second half as they forced five steals and forced the Bengals into making just 12-of-27 shots (44.4 percent) from the field in the final 20 minutes – after a hot-shooting first half that saw them connect on 20-of-30 (66.7 percent). NAU shot 52.0 percent (13-of-25) as it chipped into the Idaho State lead to force the dramatic finish in the final moments by outscoring the Bengals 40-31 in the second stanza.
Idaho State had a total of four players finish with double-figure scoring totals. Balint Mocsan led the way with 21 points on 7-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc. Maker notched 15 points, making 6-of-7 from the field, including the game winner and added eight rebounds. Kelvin Jones tabbed 10 points and seven boards before fouling out late in the second half.
Sophomore
Bernie Andre led the way for the 'Jacks with 19 points and seven rebounds. He has recorded double-figure points in 10 of the last 11 games overall. McCree registered 13 points and Avdalovic added 10. Hines posted nine points and handed out seven assists.
The Lumberjacks won the battle on the glass despite the loss as they outrebounded the Bengals 33-24 and outscored Idaho State in second-chance opportunities 15-4.
The Bengals hot shooting, especially early, was a big factor as they shot 50 percent (12-of-24) as a team from three-point range and had five different players connect from deep.
The Lumberjacks conclude the current homestand on Saturday, Feb. 9 in a 2 p.m. MST tip against Weber State at the J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome.
The 'Jacks-Wildcats contest will be streamed on Pluto TV (Channel 239). It can also be heard on the Lumberjacks Radio Network beginning with the pregame show at 1:30 p.m. MST.
