FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (February 25, 2020) – The Northern Arizona men's basketball team's final homestand of the season welcomes in two of the top five teams in the conference into the Walkup Skydome. To begin their last weekend at home, the Lumberjacks host Montana, the Big Sky leader, on Thursday at 6 p.m. Saturday's home finale, and Senior Day contest, will bring in Montana State at 4 p.m.
Thursday's meeting with the Grizzlies will be streamed on Pluto TV Channel 539 and televised by NAU-TV. It can be heard on the Lumberjack Radio Network with the Voice of the Lumberjacks
Mitch Strohman, Kade Gilliss and Giavonna Heath on the call.
Strohman and Ryan Peretti will have the call of Saturday's meeting with the Bobcats on Pluto TV Channel 539 and the Lumberjack Radio Network.
Prior to Saturday's tip-off, the Lumberjacks will honor their two seniors
Brooks DeBisschop and
Chris Bowling during the Senior Day recognition. Both DeBisschop and Bowling have been four-year members of the 'Jacks and have combined to play in 218 career games heading into their final two home games.
The Lumberjacks carry a 15-11 overall record and 9-8 conference record into their final two home games of the season. With three games remaining on its schedule, NAU is a half-game ahead of Montana State for fourth-place in the Big Sky.
DeBisschop is averaging a team-best 14.4 points per game in conference play. DeBisschop has scored in double-figures in 15 of his last 16 games in addition to grabbing six or more rebounds in 13 straight games. DeBisschop is averaging 8.1 rebounds per game in conference play.
Over the last three games, NAU is averaging 16.0 assists per game with more than double the assists than turnovers (48-to-22) in this span.
Sophomore
Cameron Shelton, the Lumberjacks' leading scorer overall this season with 14.1 points per game, has been leading the charge with 18 assists over the last three games. Going back to the last five games, Shelton is averaging 6.0 assists per game and has committed just eight turnovers for an assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.75.
NAU and Montana will meet for the 106th time on Thursday. NAU led for most of the first season meeting between the two teams on Dec. 28, but Montana closed the game strong in an eventual 79-72 home victory.
Montana leads the all-time series 74-31 and the Grizzlies have won 10 straight matchups over the last six seasons.
NAU has lost four in a row at home versus Montana with its last win coming on March 8, 2014 by a 67-47 score. The Lumberjacks are 21-28 all-time versus the Grizzlies at home.
NAU and Montana State will meet for the 103rd time on Saturday. The Bobcats edged the Lumberjacks, 63-61, on Dec. 30 in Bozeman with junior
Bernie Andre leading the 'Jacks with 17 points in the team's first matchup.
Montana State leads the all-time series 52-50 and have won the last two head-to-head meetings. The teams have split the last six meetings overall going back to 2016-17 season.
Despite the Bobcats' slight advantage in the all-time series, the Lumberjacks have dominated the series in Flagstaff. NAU is 35-15 all-time versus Montana State on its home court having won four of the last six meetings in Flagstaff.
Fans can purchase tickets for the final two games online at
nauathletics.com/tickets or by calling the Lumberjack Ticket Office at 928-523-0639.
