FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (December 28, 2023) – The Lumberjacks are returning to action this Saturday as Big Sky play will begin for NAU (6-6) at Northern Colorado (5-6), after a ten-day gap between games for the holiday break.
NAU is looking to bounce back from a loss on the road at San Francisco (10-4), looking to rebuild off the four-game win streak prior to USF. NAU's six DI non-conference victories mark the most since in the regular season since 2010-11.
The Lumberjacks will head into the first conference matchup with the fifth-best non-conference record in the Big Sky, with two more still to play next week in the Big Sky-Summit League Challenge as NAU will take on Omaha on the road and host North Dakota ahead of fully diving into conference matchups.
NAU is led offensively by
Trent McLaughlin, averaging 15.5 points per game which ranks fourth amongst Big Sky players. McLaughlin is also fifth in the conference in steals per game, with 1.7. McLaughlin is one of three Lumberjacks to hit a buzzer-beater this season, as the junior knocked down a contested three-pointer at Incarnate Word to lift the Jacks to victory.
NAU's
Carson Basham is leading the Jacks defensively, off the bench with 5.4 rebounds per game alongside the second-best blocks per game in the conference with 1.3. As a team, the Jacks are shooting 43.7 percent from the field through the first 12 games of the season, with a three-point percentage of 31.6.
NAU has won the last two matchups against the Bears, both coming in 2023 as the Jacks picked up an 83-73 victory in Flagstaff on Jan. 28, followed by an 85-82 victory on the road in Greeley on Feb. 25. Northern Colorado holds the series advantage at 22-16, with the Jacks only recording five wins in Greeley.
Northern Colorado will enter Saturday's matchup with just three DI victories under its belt, coming to Chicago State, CSUN Northridge, and most recently Air Force. The Bears have two overtime games this season, winning to Chicago State by one in overtime and falling to Texas A&M Commerce in double overtime by two. The Bears three DI wins have come in four-point or less margins.
The Bears are led by reigning Big Sky player of the week Saint Thomas. Thomas has started all 11 games for UNC, averaging 18.7 points per game, along with 10.3 rebounds per game. Thomas' performance against Air Forced played a vital role in the Bears win, as he finished with 24 points and a 77.0 field goal percentage, snagging the double-double with 10 boards while adding three assists, two steals, and a block.
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