FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (January 28, 2023) – Back in the win column for the first time since Jan. 5, the Northern Arizona University men's basketball team ended the first half of Big Sky Conference play with an 83-73 victory over Northern Colorado at Findlay Toyota Court in Flagstaff, Ariz.
The Lumberjacks shot 50.9 (27-53) percent from the field and were led by a career-high 25 points from
Xavier Fuller. Today's victory snapped a five-game losing streak for NAU, who improve to 6-16 overall and 2-7 in conference action. It also ends a two-game losing streak to the Bears who drop to 7-14 and 2-7 in Big Sky play.
Also joining Fuller in double figures was
Jalen Cone (13 points) and
Carson Towt (10 points), while Trenton McLaughlin added a career-best 12 points after going a perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line.
Nik Mains, who became Northern Arizona's all-time career leader in games played with 136 and moved up to sixth all-time on the three-pointers made list today, added nine points.
Northern Arizona led by as many as 20 points in the second half and held the advantage for 33:36 of the contest. It also held the Bears to 42.2 (27-64) percent from the field.
"I couldn't be happier for our basketball program today. We're a basketball family and sometimes, you talk about things that you can't control, and all we could control was today and our guys from start to finish were outstanding. We had some adversity in the second half, but we kept playing," said head coach
Shane Burcar. "These two guys to my left (
Carson Towt) and right (
Xavier Fuller) are everything to this program. To have 1,600 people here today, there are some loyal fans out there and I always say, NAU men's basketball is just dying for a win. When you have guys like Carson and Xavier, we're full of winners. I could talk about everyone in that locker room, but that game was won in the locker room many, many nights ago. I couldn't be happier."
Both teams swapped three-pointers to start the game as things moved into an 11-11 tie in the early goings. A 7-0 run that included a triple by
Oakland Fort and two buckets by Fuller gave NAU a 24-16 advantage with less than ten minutes to go in the first half. Another run of 8-0 helped the Lumberjacks lead 32-18. Going into halftime, Northern Arizona started putting some distance on the Bears by closing the half on an 8-0 run to lead 42-23 at the break. The run consisted of three-pointers by Cone and McLaughlin, plus a layup by
Jack Wistrcill.
NAU made six three-pointers in the first half and shot 48.5 percent from the field while holding UNC to 32.3 percent. Eleven of Fuller's 25 points came in the first half of play.
Northern Colorado would outscore NAU 50-41 in the second half as both teams shot over 50 percent from the field.
Consecutive free throws by Cone gave NAU a 46-26 for the largest lead of the game with 17:58 to play. However, the Bears started to find their groove and went on a 9-0 run to cut Northern Arizona's lead down to 47-40. UNC got as close as six points before a 6-0 NAU run put the Lumberjacks back up, 55-43. With 7:24 to go, the Bears cut the lead to six points again, but never got closer than that, as Fuller and Mains fired off back-to-back threes to extend the lead back out to 12.
Despite the Bears closing in and trimming the lead to seven with a minute to go, the Lumberjacks made 10 of their last 12 shots including three-straight to end the day, securing an 83-73 victory.
McLaughlin also led the team with seven rebounds and three assists while adding a block. Both Fuller, who was 10-for-17 from the field, and Towt added five rebounds, while Fuller and Wistrcill each had three assists.
NAU only tuned the ball over eight times and forced 10 turnovers. It was out-rebounded 37-to-31, and both teams scored 38 points in the paint. UNC was 7-for-28 from three-point range, while NAU was 8-for-22 and 21-for-26 from the free throw line.
The second half of Big Sky play begins next week when Northern Arizona travels to Montana State (Feb. 2) and Montana (Feb. 4). The Lumberjacks will look to avenge a 69-54 loss back on Jan. 7 to the Bobcats and will go for the series sweep, and third-straight, over the Grizzlies after winning 75-74 in overtime on Jan. 5.
Northern Arizona returns home for three-straight on Feb. 6 when it hosts Idaho State in a quick turnaround before closing the week against Sacramento State on Feb. 9 and Portland State on Feb. 11. The Lumberjacks will honor Mains and Fuller prior to their contest against the Vikings for Senior Day.
