FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (March 2, 2019) – Redshirt sophomore
Jacey Bailey's 23 points led all five Northern Arizona women's basketball starters in double-figure scoring as the Lumberjacks bested Montana State, 76-72, on Saturday in the Walkup Skydome. The Lumberjacks snapped a six-game losing streak to the Bobcats and earned their first victory over Montana State since Jan. 24, 2015.
Bailey registered her third double-double of the season finishing with a career-high 12 boards to go with her 23 points. Bailey knocked down her first three three-point attempts in the first quarter and posted a 5-for-10 effort behind the arc in 39 minutes. She was 9-of-20 overall from the field.
The Lumberjacks shot 44.8 percent from the field, including 52.4 percent in the fourth quarter to break what was a 47-47 stalemate entering the final period, and had all five starters reach double-digit points for the second time this season. It was the fifth game this season in which NAU had five players in double-figures.
"The team came ready to play," said head coach
Loree Payne. "We had a couple of disappointing losses last weekend, but I applaud their resiliency. They know if they play, we can beat a lot, if not any team in the Big Sky. I feel like things are coming together and we want to be playing our basketball in March. I feel like we are at this point."
NAU improved its record to 10-17 overall and 6-12 in the Big Sky, while putting Montana State's bid at securing the Big Sky tournament's final bye on hold for an afternoon.
Senior
Kaleigh Paplow finished with 15 points, six rebounds, eight assists, two blocks and two steals. Paplow's eight helpers were a career-high, while her two steals elevated her to 10th all-time in program history.
Joining Bailey and Paplow in double-figures were freshman
Regan Schenck (14), redshirt sophomore
Caitlin Malvar (11) and sophomore
Khiarica Rasheed (11). Malvar pulled down seven rebounds and Schenck added four assists.
After a slow start offensively by both teams, with each team only making one field goal in the first four minutes, the 'Jacks caught fire behind a strong first quarter performance by Bailey. All three of Bailey's first quarter treys came during a 14-0 NAU run to close the period, leading to a 19-10 Lumberjack lead.
Montana State quickly turned around its struggles in the second quarter, making 11-of-15 from the floor after only converting on 3-of-14 field goal attempts in the first. The Bobcats started the second quarter on an immediate 7-0 run and eventually settled into a 34-28 halftime lead with the Lumberjacks making a single field goal in the last six and a half minutes of the first half.
Outrebounded by four at the half, NAU's second half rally included a 28-18 advantage on the glass. A dozen of NAU's 28 rebounds after halftime came on the offensive glass and directly led to 14 second chance points. The Lumberjacks finished the game with a 43-37 rebounding edge and 14-7 advantage in second chance opportunities.
"They outrebounded us pretty well in Bozeman, so that was a focus for us," Payne said. "Converting 14 points off our 16 offensive boards was huge. Those extra possessions were critical in a two-possession game."
Schenck sparked the Lumberjacks in the third quarter, scoring eight of her points in the period. She made consecutive baskets during an 8-0 run that brought the score even at 41-41 with 4:34 left in the third quarter. NAU's defense once again clamped down on Montana State with the Bobcats only shooting 27.8 percent in the quarter as the Lumberjacks erased their halftime deficit and went into the final period tied at 47-47.
Both teams shot over 50 percent in the fourth and the lead was exchanged seven times alone in the final 10 minutes. The lead changed one final time off Bailey's fifth long ball, giving the 'Jacks a 68-67 lead with 3:11 to play.
The game-deciding possession came after the Bobcats made a pair at the line to close to 72-70 with a 1:04 remaining. Using three offensive rebounds – one coming off a missed free throw – NAU shaved off 40 seconds before Montana State got the ball back. By then, Malvar had hit a free throw and a layup off and out-of-bounds play to extend NAU's lead to five.
"Resiliency is one of our team words and it's coming together for us," Bailey said. "We were only down a few (points) at half and we knew we were still in the game."
NAU aims to snap an even longer opposing losing streak of 12 games to Montana on Monday. The Lumberjacks and Lady Griz face off at 6:30 p.m. in the Skydome.
