FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (November 23, 2022) – Arriving in the U.S. Virgin Islands on just about the highest note possible, the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks are set to face a trio of Power Five programs across the next three days at the 2022 Paradise Jam.
Having beaten UC San Diego by 33 points in Flagstaff, outlasting California Baptist 110-104 on the road in double overtime and nearly setting a program record for largest margin of victory in a 111-44 victory against Park University, Gilbert (AZ), the Lumberjacks (3-2, 0-0 Big Sky) enter the Thanksgiving weekend tournament on a three-game win streak.
Now in St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Northern Arizona will face Arkansas (5-0, 0-0 SEC), No. 25 Kansas State (5-0, 0-0 Big 12) and Clemson (3-1, 0-0 ACC) at 3:45 p.m. MST on Thursday, Friday and Saturday respectively. In addition to Kansas State's Top 25 ranking, Arkansas also received votes in the WBCA Top 25 Coaches Poll entering the week.
It'll be Northern Arizona's first ever meeting with Arkansas and Clemson while Kansas State will play the Lumberjacks for the first time since 2001. Northern Arizona fell to Kansas State 79-63 in Flagstaff in 2001, as well as 74-65 in overtime in 1988.
The Lumberjacks enter the tournament led by
Montana Oltrogge's 14.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. The graduate transfer is shooting 42.9 percent from the field and 39.3 percent from three-point range across her first five games as a Lumberjack.
Nyah Moran's 13.2 points ranks second on the team while freshman
Sophie Glancey's first five career games have included 12.4 points and 6.0 rebounds per game and a 56.6 shooting percentage from the field.
Entering the tournament at 9.0 points and 7.0 assists per game,
Regan Schenck's 40.5 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from three-point range has been an impressive start to the senior's final season. Ranking 11th in the NCAA in assists per game and sixth in total assists, Schenck is 130 assists away from matching the program's all-time record held by Sade Cunningham that was set in 2009.
Coupled with their season opening games at Arizona State and Arizona, Northern Arizona will face five Power Five programs in its first eight games of the season.
Opening the Reef Tournament of the Paradise Jam with the Arkansas Razorbacks, the Lumberjacks will face a team averaging a margin of victory at 26.4 points per game. Beating Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Central Arkansas, Tulsa, Kent State and Little Rock to open the season, Arkansas is led by Erynn Barnum's 19.2 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. Hitting 67.3 percent per game, the 6-foot-2 forward scored a season-high of 72 in the 79-70 victory against Tulsa.
Ranked No. 25 thanks in part to an 84-83 victory over Iowa, then ranked No. 4 in the nation, Kansas State is averaging a 17.8 margin of victory in its five victories this season. After beating Iowa on Nov. 17, the Wildcats added wins over UTRGV and Utah Tech before heading to St. Thomas. Guard Gabby Gregory leads the Wildcats with 21.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per game while shooting 45.7 percent from the field.
Clemson enters the tournament with wins over Gardner-Webb, Wofford and Richmond as well as a loss to No. 1 South Carolina. Playing exclusively at home to start the season, the Tigers defeated Gardner-Webb by 27, Wofford by 11 and Richmond 21 before falling to South Carolina by 54. Amari Robinson's 14.0 points leads Clemson, with the 6-foot-0 forward is shooting 42.9 percent this season.
All three games are available to stream online on ESPN3.
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