Lumberjack Men’s Basketball Nearly Pulls Off Upset in Eventual 73-62 Loss to Washington

SEATTLE, Wash. (November 11, 2021) – The Northern Arizona men's basketball team trailed Washington by two at halftime and pushed the Huskies to the limit before being dealt a 73-62 loss on the back end of their season-opening Pac-12 road trip.
 
In addition to committing 21 turnovers for the second consecutive game, NAU was whistled for 28 fouls – its most in a game since 29 at San Jose State on Dec. 15, 2018. Those two statistics put a damper on an exceptional effort which included holding Washington to 36.7 percent shooting and tallying eight blocks for the first time since Dec. 20, 2017 at Jacksonville.
 
"We shot ourselves in the foot with 21 turnovers and they had 35 free throws, and that's hard to win any time," said head coach Shane Burcar. "But I'm happy with our schedule with Arizona and Washington. We know who we are and what we can do to get better."
 
Five of NAU's five blocks came courtesy of redshirt sophomore Ezekiel Richards, who posted the highest individual total since Isaiah Thomas had five on Jan. 13, 2018. Richards' five blocks were one shy of the school record shared by six players.
 
Richards also led the team with 12 points off the bench, helping NAU's reserves outscore Washington's by a 28-12 margin. Junior Mason Stark added 10 points off the bench, as the two Lumberjacks were joined by sophomore Jalen Cone (11) in double-figure scoring.
 
NAU (0-2) went stride for stride with Washington in the first 20 minutes of Thursday's contest and nearly took a lead into the intermission. Trailing 27-22, redshirt freshman Carson Towt and Richards connected on back-to-back baskets before Cone scored four straight during an 8-0 NAU run that moved the 'Jacks in front, 30-27, with 1:45 left until halftime.
 
Washington (1-1) scored the final five points of the half though to steal back the advantage despite NAU narrowly outshooting Washington, 40.7 percent to 38.7 percent.
 
Knowing they were right in the game, the Lumberjacks landed the first blow in the second half as redshirt sophomore Keith Haymon stole the period's opening possession and went coast to coast for an immediate and-1 opportunity. Haymon's three-point play gave the Lumberjacks the lead and Cone followed with a buck to extend NAU's narrow advantage out to 35-32.
 
The 'Jacks maintained their lead throughout the first four minutes of the second half until the Huskies tied it up at 41-41 and the score remained a one-possession game until a critical Washington run.
 
Knotted up at 48-48 at the 13:18 mark, the Huskies utilized a 10-0 run and kept the Lumberjacks scoreless for nearly five minutes. The run provided the final of nine lead changes in the Huskies' favor, although the Lumberjacks had one more push in them.
 
Stark accounted for all five points during a brief 5-0 spurt that cut Washington's lead to 59-55 with 6:16 to play and forced the Huskies to call a timeout. However, immediately out of the stoppage, Washington drained a three to ignite a 10-1 run that put the game away for good.
 
Although the Huskies shot just 34.5 percent from the field in the second half, they made the most of 19 Lumberjack fouls in the final 20 minutes alone. Washington was 20-of-29 from the charity stripe in the second half, accounting for half of its 41 points after halftime.
 
For the game, NAU shot 37 percent (20-of-54) and shot 75 percent (18-of-24) at the free throw line. The Lumberjacks also outrebounded the Huskies, 42-40, coming away even on their road trip in the rebound column against Arizona and Washington.
 
Towt led the Lumberjacks' efforts on the glass, pulling down a career-high 13 rebounds, while also coming up a point shy of a double-double with nine. Redshirt junior Nik Mains matched Towt's nine points, while hitting two of the Lumberjacks' four three-pointers.
 
"We have true competitors, guys whose hearts are pumping out of their chests," Burcar said. "In our locker room, there are no moral victories. Nothing is going to beat this team down and we're going to compete every night. The scoreboard will switch when we clean some things up. What I love about our locker room is that they're upset we didn't win this game, and anyone who is an NAU fan can tell we are really close to busting through."
 
The Lumberjacks will aim for their first victory of the season on Monday in the Rolle Activity Center versus Benedictine Mesa at 6 p.m. to start a two-game homestand, which also includes a 6 p.m. tip-off versus CSU Bakersfield next Thursday.
 
To stay up to date with the NAU men's basketball team, follow the Lumberjacks on Twitter and Instagram.