CEDAR CITY, Utah (January 31, 2022) – Monday night's contest in the America First Event Center was a true tale of two halves as Southern Utah took advantage of the Northern Arizona men's basketball team's cold second half shooting in a 78-66 victory. The Lumberjacks shot just 26.7 percent from the floor post-halftime, falling to 7-13 overall and 3-6 in conference play with the loss.
"I think our offensive execution was there and defensively, we had a couple of breakdowns on out-of-bound plays," said head coach
Shane Burcar. "We were right there with four minutes to go and if we make a couple of shots, we're right there at the end. They shoot 52 percent in the second half and unfortunately we shoot 26 percent and it's near impossible to win that game."
Defense was at a premium – or three-point shooting was in style – in the first half as the two teams combined to shoot 50 percent from long distance in the first 20 minutes. Both teams drilled nine threes with redshirt sophomore
Keith Haymon playing a huge role in the Lumberjacks' offensive display making all five of his three-point attempts for 15 first half points.
However, after shooting 51.6 percent in the first half, the 'Jacks made just 8-for-30 from the deck in the second half, including 4-of-17, from three-point range. Meanwhile, the Thunderbirds (13-6, 7-2 Big Sky) converted at a 52 percent clip after halftime to erase what was a 41-38 NAU intermission lead.
Sophomore
Jalen Cone and Haymon accounted for all of NAU's initial 14 points, with each player connecting on a pair of threes, in a high scoring first five minutes. At the first media timeout, the Lumberjacks led 14-12 as the two teams already combined for eight triples.
Later, consecutive treys by Haymon and Cone provided NAU with a 34-27 lead and another three, this time by redshirt junior
Nik Mains, gave the Lumberjacks their largest lead of the game, 37-29, with 5:49 left in the first half. Southern Utah answered with a 9-0 run though to retake the lead momentarily, but redshirt freshman
Carson Towt and Cone scored the half's final points to send NAU into the locker room with the one-possession edge.
Cone and Haymon both scored 15 first half points, combining for 30 of NAU's 41, but the duo only totaled 14 points between them in the second half.
Cone still finished with his 10th 20-point game of the season, leading all players with 26 points, while also recording team-highs of four assists and three steals with the latter tying a career-high. Haymon knocked down a career-high 6-of-8 from behind the arc, finishing with 18 points to go with five rebounds. Mains scored eight of his 13 points after halftime, putting three 'Jacks in double-figures.
The Thunderbirds, the reigning Big Sky regular season champion, opened up a four-point second half lead before Mains cut the deficit to one on his second three of the period. Two possessions later, Cone went coast-to-coast following a steal by freshman
Jayden Jackson to put NAU back on top, 52-51, with 13:25 to play, but that would be the Lumberjacks' final lead of the game.
Southern Utah scored the next nine points before Towt snapped a three-minute NAU scoring drought with a dunk. The Thunderbirds responded with consecutive buckets to take the first double-digit lead by either team, 65-54, with 8:50 left and the Lumberjacks only managed three field goals following the Towt dunk in the last 10 minutes.
"I was pleased with how we moved the ball in the second half," Burcar said. "I think we took great shots and we just didn't make them. We've done a great job moving the ball all season. We also only had seven turnovers, so it's not like we got beat because we were reckless with the ball."
NAU outscored Southern Utah, 12-6, off turnovers as the Lumberjacks committed just seven turnovers, tying a season-low. Southern Utah won the rebounding battle, 39-33, and held a significant 24-3 advantage in bench points.
The Lumberjacks' week continues on Thursday with a road game at Sacramento State at 8 p.m. MST.
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