FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (January 14, 2020) – With the Big Sky's longest active win streak in hand, the Northern Arizona women's basketball team welcomes Southern Utah and Northern Colorado to the Walkup Skydome on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m. respectively. Following this week, NAU will be on the road for four straight games.
The Lumberjacks are on a three-game winning streak following a pair of victories last week to elevate them into fourth place in the Big Sky standings through the first three weeks of conference play. NAU defeated Sacramento State, 114-107, in double overtime and Idaho State, 70-59, last week to improve to 6-8 overall and 3-2 in the Big Sky. NAU's 3-2 start to conference play is the Lumberjacks' best in 13 years.
Junior
Khiarica Rasheed was named Big Sky Player of the Week after averaging 22.0 points and 10.5 rebounds per game last week versus Sacramento State and Idaho State on 65.5 percent shooting. Through the first five conference games, Rasheed's 22.6 points per game in league play leads all players. Rasheed is shooting 64.2 percent overall in Big Sky play.
Rasheed ranks second overall in scoring for the season with 15.9 points per game. Her 113 points over the last five games is the best five-game stretch since
Olivia Lucero scored 117 points in a five-game span from Feb. 15-28, 2018.
Last Thursday, redshirt junior
Caitlin Malvar became the first Lumberjack women's player, and just second ever between the NAU men's and women's teams, to record a triple-double (17 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists) against Sacramento State. Malvar ranks first in conference play with 5.8 assists per game.
Redshirt sophomore
Nina Radford, who scored a season-high 29 points versus Sacramento State, and redshirt junior
Jacey Bailey, who chipped in 13 points at Idaho State, continue to average double-digit points. Radford is second on the team, and fifth in the Big Sky, with 13.9 points per game, while Bailey is averaging 12.2 points per game.
NAU and Southern Utah split the season series last year. The Thunderbirds came into the Skydome and handed the 'Jacks an 82-76 overtime loss on Jan. 12 before the Lumberjacks earned a 78-69 victory in Cedar City on Jan. 28. It was the second consecutive year in which the two teams won on their opponent's home court.
Southern Utah posted a 72-65 win over Idaho State last Thursday at home in its only game of the week. The Thunderbirds, who already matched their win total from last season, is 8-5 overall and 2-2 in conference play.
NAU and Northern Colorado also split the season series last year with NAU denying Northern Colorado of the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament with a 79-68 home win in the regular season finale on March 9. The Bears had previously beaten the 'Jacks, 63-53, in Greeley on Jan. 26.
Like Southern Utah, Northern Colorado is 2-2 in conference play and carries a 6-7 overall record into the week. The Bears fell to Weber State, 65-60, last Thursday at home in their lone game last week.
Both games this week will be streamed on Pluto TV Channel 539
online and on the Pluto TV app. Live stats will be available at this
link.
Fans can purchase season and single game tickets for the 2019-20 NAU women's basketball season online at
nauathletics.com/tickets or by calling the Lumberjack Ticket Office at 928-523-0639.
About Southern Utah:
Record: 8-5, 2-2 Big Sky
All-Time Series: NAU, 23-15
Last Meeting: NAU, 78-69 (Jan. 28, 2019)
About Northern Colorado:
Record: 6-7, 2-2 Big Sky
All-Time Series: UNC, 22-6
Last Meeting: NAU, 79-68 (March 9, 2019)
