FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (Dec. 30, 2023) – Big Sky Conference play is off to a thrilling start for the Northern Arizona University women's basketball team after a 76-72 victory over Northern Colorado at Findlay Toyota Court in Flagstaff. With the contest tied 72-72 with 7.8 seconds remaining,
Olivia Moran hit her second game-winner of the season to help the Lumberjacks start conference play 1-0 for the first time since the 2021-22 season.
NAU has now won five-straight overall and six-straight over Northern Colorado, including two-straight in Flagstaff. The Lumberjacks improve to 9-3 overall while UNC drops to 4-6 (0-1 BSC).
Northern Colorado won the rebounding battle 48-to-34 and shot 44.8 percent from the field compared to 40 percent for NAU, but turnovers were the difference maker in this afternoon's victory. The Lumberjacks forced the second-most amount of turnovers this season with 22 and scored 21 points off them while only committing a season low of six.
Sophie Glancey led all players with 19 points on 9-of-17 from the field.
Nyah Moran followed with a season-best 15 points after draining three three-pointers and making 6-of-10 from the field.
Olivia Moran rounded out the scoring with 12 points on 5-of-7.
Emily Rodabaugh was the team's top-rebounder with seven, while
Grace Beasley dished four assists and added three steals and a block.
"I'm really, really proud of our team with being able to close this game out. Our last time out we talked a lot about execution and how great teams and championship teams execute down the stretch and that's the big separator," said head coach
Loree Payne. "Northern Colorado is a good team, they have some great scorers, some of the best in the league. But I'm proud of our players for executing, especially deep down the stretch when we struggled a little bit early in the fourth. We were able to get some big stops and knock down some big time stops to finalize the game.
Northern Arizona came out and wasted no time scoring seven points in less than a minute to lead 7-2 before the run stretched to 9-0 in all. NAU led 15-8 at the first media timeout, but towards the end of the quarter, Northern Colorado started to click and made four-straight field goals to trim the deficit down to 21-19. At the buzzer,
Olivia Moran found Glancey down low for a contested layup and the Lumberjacks took a 23-19 lead into the second quarter. Northern Arizona shot 50 percent (9-18) from the field in the first quarter while the Bears were 8-for-17 (47%).
Northern Colorado made it a one-point game, 27-26, before a
Leia Beattie triple stretched the lead back out. Northern Arizona then went on a 10-2 run for the largest lead of 40-30, forcing a Northern Colorado timeout. After the break, it was the Bears who went on an 8-0 run to get as close as 40-38. At the half, the Lumberjacks held on to a 45-42 lead.
The Bears shot 51.5 percent in the first half, including 56.3 percent in the second while NAU was held to 48.6 percent overall and 47.4 percent in the second quarter. Even thought the Lumberjacks forced nine turnovers and only committed three, they were out-rebounded 21-14 in the first half.
UNC took its first lead since the early seconds of the game at the six minute mark and it was back and forth from there with the third quarter alone featuring a tie and six lead changes. Northern Arizona fell behind 55-54 before closing the quarter on a 10-2 run to lead 64-57 with a quarter to play.
The fourth quarter was closely contested, and Northern Arizona held a 69-67 lead with 3:15 left to play. After the Lumberjacks did not make a field goal for 2:55 of the quarter, Northern Colorado headed to the line for a chance to tie the game but only made one of two. After a fastbreak layup from
Nyah Moran put NAU up 72-68, the Bears crept back to make it a two-point game, 72-70 with 1:30 left to play. With 23 seconds remaining, Northern Colorado headed to the line and made one to tie the game 72-72.
With 7.8 seconds left and time winding down,
Olivia Moran drained the game-winner from the elbow for a 74-72 lead. Northern Colorado could not respond and with 0.7 seconds left, Beattie headed to the line and made both free throws to secure the 76-72 victory.
Northern Arizona concludes non-conference play to begin 2024 as the Big Sky/Summit Challenge kicks off to start the year. The Lumberjacks host South Dakota State on Wednesday, Jan. 3 at 6 p.m. MST in Flagstaff before traveling to play at North Dakota State on Saturday, Jan. 6 at noon MST.
Big Sky play resumes with Montana State (Jan. 11) and Montana (Jan. 13), both at home.
