FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (December 7, 2020) – Following a successful weekend in the Pacific Northwest, the Northern Arizona University women's basketball team returns to its home state for another road game in its non-conference slate.
With the weekend sweep of the Eastern Washington Eagles, the NAU Lumberjacks improved to 3-1 overall and 2-0 early on in the Big Sky Conference schedule. The Lumberjacks trailed for just 32 seconds of the 80 minutes played in Cheney, Wash., with both games culminating in double-digit victories.
Now the Grand Canyon Lopes await in Wednesday's 6 p.m. tip off at GCU Arena in Phoenix.
"It's really a one-day preparation for GCU," said NAU head coach
Loree Payne, as the Lumberjacks returned from Washington early Monday morning. "The reality of this season is our focus is in our conference games. GCU is going to give us a great run. They have a new coach that is focused on high-pressure defense, so we are going to get pressed the majority of the game."
Through their first three games this season, the Lopes have forced 27.7 turnovers en route to a 3-0 record as first-year head coach Molly Miller looks to carry over her success from Division II Drury. Holding a record of 180-17 across six seasons in Springfield, Missouri, Miller led her alma mater to a Division II Final Four appearance in 2019 and a 32-0 record prior to the season's cancellation this past March.
In Miller's GCU debut on Nov. 27, the Lopes defeated the Big Sky's Weber State 93-72. The Wildcats 27 turnovers led to 30 points for the Lopes, who shot 50 percent from the field in the victory. Wins at home against Benedictine Mesa and Loyola Marymount followed this past week.
Katie Scott, a freshman center from Carl Junction, Mo., leads the Lopes with 20.7 points and 6.3 rebounds in just 18.3 minutes per game this season. After scoring just eight in the season opener against Weber, Scott finished with 29 points on 11-of-18 shooting this past Saturday against Loyola Marymount.
Sophomore guard Taylor Caldwell is second on the team with 12.7 points per game while adding 6.3 assists and 5.7 rebounds.
"For us, it's going to be our composure, our poise and our ability to bounce back from a back-to-back over the weekend," Payne said.
Much of the Lumberjacks first two weeks of play could be considered a success, as four players currently average double-digits this season. Senior
JJ Nakai leads the way with 19.5 points per game, followed by sophomore Emily Rodabugh's 15.8 points, senior
Jacey Bailey's 14.5 and senior
Miki'ala Maio's 11.0.
Junior
Regan Schenck has filled up the box score this season as the guard averages 8.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 6.25 assists.
One of NAU's few weak points through the start of the season has been its rebounding, as the Lumberjacks have been outrebounded in all four games this season. After losing the rebounding battle by just two in their first two games of the season, Eastern Washington beat the Lumberjacks in both meetings this past weekend.
"We have got to figure out our rebounding," Payne said. "We got outrebounded by five yesterday and six today. We were outrebounded by Arizona by two, so this weekend definitely was a step back for us rebounding wise. We have got to clean that up before our next opponent."
A live stream of Wednesday's game can be found
here, while live stats are available
here.
