CHENEY, Wash. (February 22, 2020) – Four Northern Arizona men's basketball starters scored in double-figures, led by 20 from sophomore
Cameron Shelton, in an 80-70 loss to Eastern Washington at Reese Court on Saturday. The Lumberjacks fell to 15-11 overall and 9-8 in conference play with the defeat despite outshooting the Eagles for the afternoon.
"I have sense that we'll play these guys again down the road, so hopefully the third time will be the charm," said interim head coach
Shane Burcar. "We battled the whole night and they are a good basketball team. It was a high-level college basketball game."
NAU defended the three-point line better than the first go-around against Eastern Washington when the Eagles drained 14 threes on Feb. 3. On Saturday, Eastern Washington made just 8-for-27 behind the arc at a 29.6 percent clip.
Overall, the Lumberjacks outshot the sixth-highest scoring team in the country by a 45.6 percent to 42 percent margin. NAU also hit 10-of-24 (41.7 percent) from deep with Shelton draining a career-high five treys. It was Shelton's first career game with more than two made triples as he also handed out seven assists with just one turnover.
However, Eastern Washington dominated NAU on the glass outrebounding the Lumberjacks, 42-30. Specifically, the Eagles hauled in 15 offensive rebounds leading to a 17-8 advantage in second chance points in a 10-point final deficit.
NAU had the three-ball working early with junior
Cameron Satterwhite making one and Shelton hitting his first two during a 10-4 game-opening run. Satterwhite scored all 11 of his points within first 10 minutes of the game, with his jumper helping NAU maintain a 21-15 lead midway through the first half.
After the Eagles tied it at 21-21, the 'Jacks came back with five consecutive points to retake a 26-21 lead with eight minutes left before the half. The Lumberjacks remained in front until the Eagles closed the half on a 9-0 run in the final 2:36 to take a 40-34 halftime lead.
Eastern Washington extended its lead out to 56-37 at the 13:37 mark of the second half with a 13-2 run over a four and a half minute span. However, NAU was not done as it chopped away the deficit, climbing with 64-58 with 7:20 remaining on consecutive baskets by senior
Brooks DeBisschop.
Eastern Washington quickly responded with a 10-4 run though, doubling its lead back out to 74-62 and NAU did not get any closer than seven in the final minute of the game.
"We're not going to press any panic buttons," Burcar said. "These are the games on the road that you want to win, and we're very capable. We were better than the last game and our fight was certainly to hang our hats on."
Junior
Bernie Andre was NAU's next highest scorer finishing with 17 points and coming a rebound shy of a second straight double-double. Likewise, DeBisschop also was one rebound short of a double-double, but still posted a stat line of 16 points, nine rebounds, five assists and a career-high four blocks.
NAU slides down to fifth-place in the standings, pending the rest of the conference's results Saturday night, leading into its final homestand of the season next week.
The Lumberjacks will host Montana, currently a half-game ahead of Eastern Washington for first place, on Thursday at 6 p.m. in the Walkup Skydome. NAU's Senior Day for DeBisschop and
Chris Bowling will be next Saturday versus Montana State at 4 p.m.
