FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (January 3, 2023) – Following a split in their first two games of Big Sky play, the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks will head out on the road for what may be the toughest trip on the conference schedule.
Voted first and second respectively by both the coaches and media in the Big Sky Conference Preseason Polls, the Montana State Bobcats (8-6, 1-1 Big Sky) and Montana Lady Griz (5-8, 1-1 Big Sky) both enter the week coming off victories against the Eastern Washington Eagles and losses to the Idaho Vandals. Northern Arizona (7-8, 1-1 Big Sky) also split its first two games as the three teams, along with Northern Colorado, stand as the four programs tied for fourth in the conference at 1-1.
Thursday's tip in Missoula, Mont. is scheduled for 7 p.m. with Saturday's game in Bozeman, Mont. set for 1 p.m. Both games will be the first meetings between the schools since last March's Big Sky Conference Tournament. Northern Arizona defeated Montana 75-57 in the conference quarterfinals, the largest margin of victory for the Lumberjacks in the 77-game series between the programs. Three days later, the Bobcats won 75-64 in the championship game for an eighth-straight victory against the Lumberjacks.
Northern Arizona is looking to snap a run of losses in Montana, with 13 straight losses on the road to the Lady Griz and a 3-37 all-time record in Missoula, as well as a 7-28 record in Bozeman with 13 consecutive losses.
MONTANA
Allowing 69.6 points per game this season, the Lady Griz have been susceptible from three-point range this season. With opponents scoring 32.0 percent of their points from outside, Montana's three-point ranks 321st in the nation at 34.7 percent. Through 13 games, the Lady Griz have allowed 7.2 three-pointers per game with Idaho taking advantage last Saturday.
Connecting on 12-of-31 from three-point range in their 79-71 victory, the Vandals were led by Sydney Gandy's 5-of-10, Beyonce Bea's 3-of-5 and Rosa Smith's 2-of-5. Four teams have hit at least 10 three-pointers in a game this season, all losses for Montana, and opponents have gone 7-1 this season when shooting at least 33.3 percent from outside against the Lady Griz. Meanwhile, the Lumberjacks have hit 10 or more threes in seven of 15 games this season and hit 33.3 percent or better in 10 of 15 games.
Sammy Fatkin leads the Lady Griz with 13.6 points per game while shooting 44.3 percent from the field. Fatkin's 5.5 rebounds per game is also second to only Dani Bartsch's 5.7 per game. Carmen Gfeller (11.9), Libby Stump (11.1) and Gina Marxen (10.3) all average double-digits this season, with all four scoring at least 16 points in a game this season.
Last season, Gfeller averaged 13.0 points and 7.3 rebounds in three meetings with the Lumberjacks while shooting 15-of-18 from the free-throw line. After scoring 13 points and grabbing seven rebounds, Fatkin missed the game in Flagstaff and scored eight points on 2-of-7 shooting in the Big Sky Tournament.
Marxen last faced the Lumberjacks as a member of the Idaho Vandals during the 2020-21 season, averaging 13.0 points, 3.5 assists and 3.0 rebounds while shooting 8-of-19 from the field in the two games combined.
MONTANA STATE
The Big Sky Conference's leader in steals per game and forced turnovers, the Bobcats enter the week 58th and 74th in the nation respectively. No opponent has finished with less than 10 turnovers in a game, while six have ended up with 20 or more this season.
Northern Arizona, 269th in the nation with 18.2 turnovers per game, will look to avoid a similar fate to other Montana State opponents as it is just 3-7 this season when committing 17 or more turnovers with two of the victories coming in overtime against California Baptist and Cal Poly, and the third against NAIA program Park (AZ).
The Lumberjacks committed 16.7 turnovers per game in the three meetings during the 2021-22 season, leading to an average of 22.3 points off turnovers for the Bobcats.
Regan Schenck averaged 11.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game against Montana State last season, while
Emily Rodabaugh's averages of 11.3 points and 6.7 rebounds including a double-double in the championship game.
Through 14 games this season, Darian White leads the Bobcats in each category with 12.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists while shooting 39.7 percent from the field. Leia Beattie is second with 10.3 points per game with a 42.1 field-goal percentage and a 33.9 three-point percentage. In total, seven Bobcats average at least 5.4 points per game. Last season, White averaged 14.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists against the Lumberjacks with her 17-point game helping secure Montana State a victory in the championship game. Beattie scored 14.3 points per game while hitting 9-of-22 from three-point range last season with three three-pointers made in all three meetings.
Thursday's game from Missoula will be available to watch
here on ESPN+ while live stats can be followed
here. Saturday's game against Montana State 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.
