FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (January 17, 2023) – Sitting 4-2 in the Big Sky after splitting their week at home against the Portland State Vikings and Sacramento State Hornets, the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks look to extend their road win streak within conference play.
With a sweep of Montana and Montana State two weeks ago, Northern Arizona (10-9, 4-2 Big Sky) will now head to Moscow, Idaho to face the Idaho Vandals (6-11, 2-4 Big Sky) and then Cheney, Wash. to take on the Eastern Washington Eagles (10-6, 3-3 Big Sky). The Vandals have dropped four straight since opening Big Sky play with a home sweep against Montana and Montana State while the Eagles have won three of their past four, including a dominant 27-point victory in Missoula against the Lady Griz on Monday night.
Tip off in Idaho is scheduled for 7 p.m. MST on Thursday with Saturday's game against Eastern Washington set for 3 p.m. MST.
Idaho, which reached the Big Sky Tournament semifinals last March, landed third in the Big Sky Preseason Coaches' Poll and fourth in the Media Poll. Eastern Washington went down in the first round of last year's tournament but was voted to finish sixth by the coaches and eighth by the media. The Lumberjacks swept the Vandals in their two meetings last season and have won six straight against the Eagles. Northern Arizona won in Moscow with just seven players available last season and have won four straight in Cheney over the past three seasons as the Eagles hosted both games during the 2020-21 season.
Coming off the victory against Sacramento State,
Regan Schenck leads the Big Sky in assists (132) and assists per game (6.9) while also ranking third and eighth in the nation. Both
Emily Rodabaugh and
Montana Oltrogge rank among the conference's top 10 in three-pointers made, three-point percentage and three-pointers per game, with the former also fourth in steals per game and the latter fifth in rebounds per game.
IDAHO
Ranked third in the nation in three-pointers attempted and sixth in three-pointers made, the Vandals score 40.9 percent of their points from outside to rank sixth in the nation.
Both Sydney Gandy and Tiana Johnson rank among the Top 10 of the Big Sky in three-pointers made, three-pointers per game, three-point attempts and three-point percentage. Gandy's 137 attempts rank 13th in the NCAA, with her 45 makes ranking 33rd. Gandy attempts 69.9 percent of her field goals from behind the arc with Johnson at 75.2 percent of her attempts coming from outside.
Additionally, Beyonce Bea ranks among the Top 10 in the Big Sky in 14 different statistical categories. Leading the conference in field goals made (132), field-goal attempts (282), free throws made (104), points (377) and points per game (22.2), Bea is also second in blocks (22) and third in rebounds 149). Earning Big Sky Conference Player of the Week three times this season, Bea has helped lead the Vandals by scoring 32.4 percent of the team's points.
Freshman guard Rosa Smith averages 9.9 points, 4.1 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game while shooting 42.4 percent from the field in 17 starts.
The Vandals have struggled on the boards this season, with a -11.1 rebounding margin ranked 344th in the NCAA. Opponents hold an 84.0 percent defensive rebounding rate, 360th of 361 teams in the nation. Allowing 74.1 points per game, Idaho's defense enters the week 334th nationally.
EASTERN WASHINGTON
Leading the Big Sky Conference in assists and turnovers per game, the Eagles have the ninth-best assist-to-turnover ratio in the NCAA.
Three Eagles average at least 2.0 assists per game, led by Jamie Loera's 4.6 to just 2.1 turnovers per game. Keeping their turnover total under 10 in five of 16 games this season, the Eagles turnover margin enters the week at plus-5.06 per game to rank 27th in the nation. Meanwhile the Lumberjacks have forced double-digit turnovers in 18 or 19 games, and 18 or more turnovers in seven games, with the Eagles' worst game of the season being 18 against Montana State.
Five Eagles average at least 9.1 points per game, led by Jaydia Martin who earned her second Big Sky Conference Player of the Week on Tuesday. Averaging 15.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game while shooting 41.7 percent from the field and 36.9 percent from three-point range, Martin has impressed after winning Big Sky Freshman of the Year last season.
Second on the team at 11.0 points per game, Jacinta Buckley is shooting 47.4 percent from the field and 35.3 percent from outside, helping the Eagles rank second in the Big Sky at 42.7 percent this season. Also averaging 7.7 rebounds per game, Buckley ranks sixth in the conference.
Loera, a grad transfer from Arizona State, is third on the team with 10.5 points per game while her 5.6 rebounds is second in addition to her team-best assist average.
Thursday's game at Idaho will be available to watch
here on ESPN+ while live stats can be followed
here. Saturday's game against Eastern Washington will be available
here with live stats
here.
Make sure to follow the NAU women's basketball team on
Twitter,
Instagram and
Facebook for updates throughout the season.
