BOZEMAN, Mont. (February 29, 2020) – The Northern Arizona women's basketball team led for nearly 35 minutes of their Saturday afternoon tilt versus Montana State, but ultimately fell just shy of a huge road victory, 73-71. The loss dropped the Lumberjacks' record to 15-13 overall and 12-7 in conference play.
NAU kept the high octane Montana State offense, who was averaging 101.3 points in its last four games, in check but a massive Bobcat advantage at the free throw line proved to be critical. The Bobcats ran their winning streak to 13 games.
The Lumberjacks had the narrow advantage in field goal percentage (.409-.400), but the Bobcats got to the line 35 times and made 24. In comparison, the 'Jacks were just 10-for-12 at the charity stripe.
NAU had a pair of 20-point scorers with redshirt junior
Jacey Bailey scoring a game-high 24 points and junior
Khiarica Rasheed recording 20 points. Redshirt sophomore
Nina Radford chipped in 12 points.
A fast offensive start propelled the Lumberjacks to a 14-6 lead through the first five minutes of the game. Radford drilled a pair of threes during the game-opening run as NAU made six of its first nine shots from the field. Although the Lumberjacks missed their final seven shots of the opening quarter, NAU still took a 15-13 advantage into the second period.
Bailey had the hot hand in helping NAU build an eventual 40-26 lead in a dominant second quarter by the 'Jacks. Bailey scored 13 of her 15 first half points in the period, including a three-pointer that capped a 7-0 Lumberjack run that gave the 'Jacks a 33-23 lead with 2:24 left in the first half.
In all, Bailey scored eight of NAU's final 10 points of the half. NAU shot 47.4 percent in the second quarter and 42.9 percent in the first half. The Lumberjacks were plus-eight on the glass in the opening half and outscored the Bobcats by six in second chance points and five in points off turnovers.
The NAU lead remained at double-digits throughout most of the third quarter with Rasheed's jumper putting the score at 52-41 with under three minutes remaining in the period. However, Montana State finished the quarter on an 8-2 run to close the gap to 54-49 heading into the final 10 minutes of play.
After the Bobcats finally claimed their first lead of the afternoon at 65-64 with 3:25 left, Bailey answered with a layup to give the 'Jacks their final lead at 66-65 on the following possession. Montana State responded with a 6-0 run to surge ahead, 71-66, with just over a minute to go.
With the deficit still at five, Bailey hit her fourth three of the game with a second left to provide the final margin.
The Bobcats sealed up the win by connecting on 11-of-13 free throws in the fourth quarter. Montana State was 18-for-24 in the second half after missing eight of its 14 attempts prior to halftime.
For NAU, the 'Jacks were just 1-for-10 behind the arc in the second half after drilling 6-of-15 threes in the first half.
NAU will host Portland State for Senior Night next Wednesday, March 4 at 6:30 p.m. in the Walkup Skydome. The game will be the Lumberjacks' last before traveling to Boise, Idaho for the Big Sky Tournament.
The 'Jacks will have four players –
Peyton Carroll,
Brianna Lehew,
Molly Rohrer and
Seneca Richards – recognized on Senior Night.
