FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (January 3, 2020) – The Northern Arizona women's basketball team takes a 3-8 overall record and 0-2 mark in conference play into their quick one-game road trip to Weber State on Saturday with tip-off slated for 2 p.m. at the Dee Events Center.
The 'Jacks are starting fresh as the calendar flips to 2020 after closing 2019 with four losses in their last five games. The Lumberjacks put together a pair of strong fourth quarter performances in their conference openers, but could not completely overcome deficits in losses to Montana, 79-71, and Montana State, 72-64.
"We were super disappointed with our effort and output versus Montana, but I felt like we bounced back really well versus Montana State," said head coach
Loree Payne. "We still didn't play the way we were capable of and for us, it's really about putting it together. With the talent that we have, we need to be playing better and that's the challenge to the team. Everybody needs to bring their strength and you'll see better chemistry on the court."
Coming off a 23-point performance against Montana State, junior
Khiarica Rasheed took over the Lumberjacks' scoring lead with 13.4 points per game, which places her eighth in the Big Sky entering the week. Rasheed's rebounding is also on an uptick as she has posted six or more rebounds in three consecutive games after doing so just three times in the first eight games of the season. Rasheed is tied with redshirt junior
Jacey Bailey for second on the team in rebounding with 5.3 per game.
Redshirt junior
Caitlin Malvar posted her first double-digit scoring game of the season last Saturday versus Montana as she continues to be a workhorse for the 'Jacks. Malvar, averaging a team-high 33.4 minutes on the court, paces the Lumberjacks in both rebounding (5.5) and assists (4.8) for the season.
Redshirt sophomore
Nina Radford, averaging 11.9 points per game, has been near automatic at the free throw line this season ranking 10th nationally in free throw percentage (.903). She also leads the team in three-point percentage at .385.
"They're working hard and they are bought into wanting to be successful," Payne said. "There's a difference between wanting and doing and that's what they're trying to figure out internally. I can't question their buy-in. They are 100 percent committed to having a successful season."
The Lumberjacks are hoping to jumpstart the conference season in Ogden against a team that NAU swept the season series against last season. Last season, NAU swept picked up a pair of double-digit point victories at home, 74-64, and on the road, 75-64, over Weber State. Senior
Peyton Carroll led five 'Jacks to average 11 points or more in the two games versus the Wildcats last season with 17.0 points on 53.3 percent shooting from the field.
The Wildcats are 2-9 overall and like the Lumberjacks, they dropped their first two Big Sky games. Weber State, picked 11th in the preseason polls, have lost three straight including road games last week to Eastern Washington, 63-53, and Idaho, 70-50.
Fans can catch this Saturday's game on Pluto TV Channel 535
online and on the Pluto TV app. Live stats will be available at this
link.
