FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (November 1, 2022) – Offering fans their first look at a newly constructed in Tuesday night's exhibition, the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks spread out 115 points among 14 players as they faced off with the SAGU American Indian College Warriors in Rolle Activity Center.
Locked in a tight battle for the opening eight minutes, the Lumberjacks started to turn the tide with a
Keith Haymon three-pointer with 11:29 left in the first half. Up by four after Haymon connected on the first of his four 3s, Northern Arizona took its first double-digit lead less than three minutes later. Up by 22 at the half, the Lumberjacks led by as much as 54 before finishing with a 115-63 final score against the Warriors.
Haymon finished with a team-high 20 points, followed by 13 for
Jack Wistrcill, 12 from
Jason Parent and 10 apiece by
Nik Mains and
Liam Lloyd. Mains just missed a double-double with a team-high nine rebounds, followed by eight from
Carson Towt who also contributed a team-high six assists.
"We usually like to play them for 18 to 22 minutes in this type of game. You want to keep the conditioning in them, but you don't want to play the full game either and someone gets an injury," said Lumberjacks head coach
Shane Burcar. "The other guys need some time on the floor. I think it opens up your eyes."
Parent took advantage, scoring 12 in the game's final nine minutes including a three-pointer and an emphatic dunk off the right wing. While Mains, Towt,
Xavier Fuller, Cone and Liam Lloyd started for the Lumberjacks, Northern Arizona's bench scored 71 of the 115 points.
Along with the team's trio of transfers, Fuller, Lloyd and
Trent McLaughlin, eight freshmen made their debuts for the Lumberjacks.
Oakland Fort, Wistrcill and
Diego Campisano all broke the 12-minute mark on the court, followed by nine minutes for
C.J. Ford and
Ryan Abelman.
Will Coates and
Preston Kilbert rounded out the rotation for the night.
Northern Arizona hit 51.9 percent from the field while forcing 19 turnovers and outrebounding SAGU 55 to 35 on the boards. The Lumberjacks pushed the pace, attempting 81 total shots and 38 three-pointers in the game, while looking to attack in transition. Haymon's 4-of-8 from outside led the way, followed by a 2-of-3 game for Fuller and a 2-of-4 night by Lloyd.
A 14-0 run beginning with a pair of 3s by Haymon started the best stretch of the night for the Lumberjacks, with back-to-back baskets by Campisano and a three-point play from Parent. A 45-point lead after the run ended became 54 at 111-57 with Parent scoring seven of 10 points on another Northern Arizona run.
"We talked about transition defense and sharing the ball with our shot selection," Burcar said. "Just play NAU basketball, that's all we can control and whatever they bring at us, that's how we are going to play."
The Lumberjacks recorded 26 assists on 42 made field goals, with Fort adding four assists behind Towt's six. Four other Lumberjacks finished with three assists, as Cone, Lloyd, Campisano and Abelman all added to the final total.
Northern Arizona now turns its attention to next Monday's regular season opener in East Lansing, Mich. as they take on the Michigan State Spartans at 5 p.m. in the Breslin Center. The Spartans won their own exhibition on Tuesday night 73-56 against Grand Valley State.
