FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (February 1, 2020) – Sophomore
Cameron Shelton attacked Idaho again and again and wound up with a career-high 29 points in leading the Northern Arizona men's basketball team to a 77-72 victory on Saturday in the Rolle Activity Center. The Lumberjacks' notched their fifth straight win marking their first five-game winning streak in nearly 10 years in their continued ascent up the Big Sky standings.
NAU's five-game winning streak is its first since the program won seven straight from Nov. 16-Dec. 8, 2010. While that streak included two wins over non-Division I teams, NAU's last winning streak of five games or more against Division I teams occurred at the end of the 2007-08 season.
"Take nothing away from the University of Idaho; they're trying to win games too," said interim head coach
Shane Burcar. "They're a good team. I thought our guys did a really good job of being prepared mentally. We played tough throughout the game. We're midway through conference, and I don't care what conference you're in. You have to figure out how to win games and that's what we did today."
Behind Shelton's career-best game, NAU improved to 12-7 overall and 6-4 in conference play. With Saturday's slate around the Big Sky yet to be completed, NAU could be less than a game out of first place in the conference standings by the end of the evening.
Shelton set new career-highs in field goals made and free throws made with his 9-for-15 showing from the field and 10-of-13 output at the free throw line. He also grabbed seven rebounds and held a team-high plus-15 while on the court.
Shelton was not the only Lumberjack that produced an eye-popping stat line as senior
Brooks DeBisschop recorded his fourth double-double of the season with 12 points and a season-high 14 rebounds in addition to a team-leading five assists. DeBisschop moved into the top 10 all-time in career rebounds and finished the game ninth in Lumberjack history with a running count of 611 career boards.
Although NAU led for more than 33 minutes in the game, the 'Jacks led by double-digits for a mere 21 seconds as the Vandals found ways to keep it close behind 26 points from Trevon Allen.
NAU struggled to find its stroke from behind the arc as the Lumberjacks shot just 25 percent (5-for-20) on three-point attempts. Yet NAU shot 46 percent for the game and made a living at the free throw line where it set new season-highs for free throws made and attempted (26-for-38). The 'Jacks made 15 more free throws than the Vandals and had 22 more attempts at the charity stripe.
Shelton opened the game's scoring with a three-point play, spurring an early Lumberjack advantage. However, the 'Jacks could not break loose in a tightly contested first half that featured seven ties and four lead changes.
With five minutes left in the first half, NAU finally gained some separation with a three by junior
Bernie Andre starting a 9-2 run that snapped a 32-32 tie. The run gave NAU a 41-34 lead, but Allen closed the half with consecutive baskets to bring Idaho within three, 41-38, at the half.
After trailing by as much as eight through the first 12 minutes of the second half, the Vandals got within a possession at 56-54 with 7:52 remaining. The Lumberjacks proceeded to go on an 8-0 run with a three by Shelton forcing a Vandal timeout with six minutes left with NAU's lead up to a game-high 64-54.
Idaho had one more run closing once again to two at 67-65 with 2:09 left only for Shelton to score the next four points. Two free throws by junior
Cameron Satterwhite – who scored 12 points himself – put NAU up 75-67 with 19 seconds left allowing the Lumberjacks to hang on.
Sophomore
Luke Avdalovic was the fourth Lumberjack in double-figures with 10 points.
Idaho shot 43.5 percent overall and NAU outrebounded Idaho, 39-33, marking the fourth game in its current win streak in which the 'Jacks held the rebounding advantage.
The Lumberjacks will be back in the Walkup Skydome on Monday at 6 p.m. for a big matchup with Eastern Washington, who at time of writing was at the top of the Big Sky by percentage points.
