Men's Basketball Earns Road Win at Pacific

Box Score *Statistics listed are unofficial and subject to change due to statistical issues at Pacific. Stats will be updated when made available.*

STOCKTON, Calif. (December 6, 2022) – The Northern Arizona University men's basketball team found its first road win of the season tonight at Pacific by a final score of 73-69. After a win over the West Coast Conference foe, the Lumberjacks improve to 4-7 with two more non-conference games remaining while the Tigers fall to 3-8. NAU leads the all-time series with Pacific, 3-0.

The contest was closely contested with 11 lead changes and six ties. The Lumberjacks led by as many as eight but never trailed by more than four. As a team, NAU shot 46.6 percent from the field (27-58) with eight three-pointers and held the Tigers to 40 percent (20-50). From the free throw line, NAU was 11-for-16 while Pacific was 24-for-29.

Xavier Fuller earned his first double-double as a Lumberjack with 18 wins and 10 rebounds. He was 8-for-15 from the field and made two key free throws to ice the game with a second left. Fuller also led the team with two free throws.

Jalen Cone led the team in scoring with 22 points, going 7-for-13 from the field and 4-for-5 from three-point range. Nik Mains was the other Lumberjack in double figures, adding 12 on 5-of-10 from the field with five rebounds. Carson Towt led the team with four assists.

"Pacific is a really good basketball team. They have physical players and are well coached, and the crowd was great and into it which is always good to see. I loved the way our team competed. One of our goals was to win what we call the four-minute war, and we were into it the whole game," said head coach Shane Burcar. "I loved our poise at the end. We went down by a point and Jalen Cone came down and made a big basket. We had two big stops to win the game, and for Xavier Fuller to make those two free throws nothing-but-net, what a confidence builder for our whole team."

The first half of action was a low-scoring affair that saw nine lead changes and four ties.

The Tigers jumped out to an early 4-0 lead before the teams moved in to an 8-8 tie. A three-pointer from Jack Wistrcill gave NAU a 15-13 lead before the teams found themselves locked at a 15-15 and a 17-17 tie. The Lumberjacks found some momentum, using a 5-0 run after another Wistrcill triple and a second-chance layup from Xavier Fuller for their largest lead of 22-17.

The lead would be short lived, as the Tigers went on a 7-0 run to retake a 24-22 lead. In all, it would be a 7-3 run for a 27-24 advantage. Northern Arizona kept its composure, finding a 6-0 run in response to pull ahead 30-27. Pacific would retake a 31-30 lead, but true freshman Oakland Fort was fouled with eight seconds left and made both free throw attempts to give NAU a 32-31 lead at the half.

The Lumberjacks shot 40 percent in the first half with four three-pointers, an even comparison to Pacific's 41.7 percent and three triples. NAU had six first half turnovers compared to eight for the Tigers.

Northern Arizona started the second half fast with five points after a layup from Mains and a triple from Cone, building a 37-33 lead before the contest moved into a 37-37 tie.

With the score tied 37-37, NAU went on a 13-5 run that included six points from Cone and five from Mains that forced Pacific to take a timeout as the Lumberjacks pulled ahead 50-42. Out of the break, the Tigers went on a 6-0 run to cut the lead down to 50-48. Pacific gained some ground, but with nine minutes remaining in the game NAU had pulled ahead 56-50 after a Towt jumper.

With six minutes left to play, the Tigers were within three points, 62-59 and they had cut it to 64-62 with under four minutes on the clock.

With a minute to play, a layup by Pacific made it a 66-65 game in NAU's favor. The Tigers were fouled and went to the line and made both attempts, retaking a 67-66 lead. The Lumberjacks would call timeout, and out of the break Cone made a contested layup for a 68-67 lead.

From there, the game would be decided by free throws. The Tigers would foul, sending Cone to the line and he would make both attempts to give NAU a three-point cushion, 70-67. After a timeout, the Tigers headed to the line and made two free throws in return, making it a one-point game with 10 seconds left. It was then NAU's turn to shoot from the line behind the hands of Cone who went 1-for-2, extending the lead to 71-69. After a timeout, the Tigers fouled Fuller who made both attempts for the 73-69 lead, helping ice the victory for the Lumberjacks.

Pacific out-rebounded the Lumberjacks, 34-to-31, but NAU had 13 assists to the Tigers' eight. The Lumberjacks also won the turnover battle, 12-to-14, and scored 20 points off Pacific's miscues.

The Lumberjacks return to Flagstaff to host Utah Valley on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 2 p.m. Mountain Standard time at the Rolle Activity Center. The final non-conference game takes place on Dec. 17 at Southern Utah.

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