FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (February 9, 2023) - The Lumberjacks improve to 15-11 with 84-82 overtime victory at Sacramento State (16-7) on Thursday night. The Jacks move to 4-2 in overtime games in this season alone while sweeping the seasons series against the Hornets.
NAU forced the Hornets to 18 turnovers, while going 25-32 from the line which would become the storyline of the game as NAU found their way to victory on the road for the second straight win.
The Lumberjacks faced a slow start to the game, as the team shot 20.0 percent from the field in the first quarter. Fouls helped the Jacks out, going 8-10 at the line to keep the game close. Sacramento went 7-17 from the field in the first quarter as the Hornets headed into the second quarter with a two-point lead.
Sacramento began building momentum in the second quarter with back-to back three pointers from Kaylin Randhawa and Katie Peneueta, as the Hornets took a nine point lead. Mary McMorris checked in, quickly able to bring the Jacks within six as Nyah Moran capitalized on a Hornet turnover and McMorris drove in for the right-side layup.
Momentum picked up for the Jacks midway through the second quarter as Emily Rodabaugh picked up her 11th points of the night off a wide open three shot from the top of arc. The Lumberjacks trailed by five going into halftime, while improving their field goal percentage to 50.0 in the second quarter.
Rodabaugh did not hesitate to keep up with her first half momentum, as the Junior made back-to-back baskets, including her second three-pointer of the night, to give NAU its first lead of the game at 38-37. The two teams played toe-to-toe throughout the third as the Jacks went 8-17 from the field, and the Hornets went 7-14. NAU closed out the third with a 6-0 run in a minute and a half to head into the fourth quarter with a two-point lead.
Sacramento State came out into the fourth quarter, making five of seven field goals to go up by seven. The Hornets run was led by Peneueta for a three-shot and Kahlaijah Dean inside the paint, dropping a quick two-shot. Nyah Moran was able to get a second-chance layup to end the Hornets run and put the team back within five.
Coming out of the last media timeout, Moran drained a three-pointer from the right side of the arc, followed by a bucket from Fatoumata Jaiteh in the paint, bringing NAU back within four points of the Hornets. Following a Lumberjack turnover, Moran capitalized off Jaiteh's steal to regain possession with a quick pull-up jumper assisted by Regan Schenck for her fifth assist of the night.
Sacramento State held on to the lead with help from Peneueta driving in a layup for the six-point lead with 45 seconds remaining on the clock. Rodabaugh quickly takes advantage and launches a three-pointer to bring the Jacks within one possession and only down by three with 36 seconds left on the clock.
Rodabaugh was fouled beyond the arc with three seconds left, going three for three at the line to tie the game up and send it to overtime. Schenck led the Jacks in overtime as the senior put up a step-back jumper off a Hornet turnover, followed by a quick driving layup. For 20 points the night, Schenck added another step-back from a steal from Rodabaugh to go up by three with a minute and a half left on the game clock. Schenck grabbed a crucial steal with 14 seconds left, securing the Jacks lead a basket at the line to close out the game.
Rodabaugh led the Jacks with 26 points, marking a season high for the junior and just one point away from tying her career high. Rodabaugh went 6-7 from the line and shot 53.3 percent from the field while earning eight defensive boards.
The Lumberjacks will face Portland State (11-11) on Saturday afternoon for a 1 p.m. game on the road. The Vikings picked up a close 56-52 victory to Northern Colorado tonight. The Lumberjacks dropped the first matchup to the Vikings on Jan. 12 as PSU found a 16-point advantage in the third quarter. Hitting just 41 percent from the field, including a 25-percent first quarter, Northern Arizona was outshot by Portland State's 52 percent. NAU will look to minimize turnovers to tie up the season series with the Viks.
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