BOZEMAN, Ariz. (January 11, 2024) – NAU Basketball (7-9, 0-2) fell in the second-straight Big Sky matchup this season, dropping a 79-50 game to the Montana State Bobcats (7-9, 2-1) on the road.
The Bobcats took an 8-0 start to the game, recording six of those eight points inside the paint before
Liam Lloyd stopped MSU's run with a three-pointer from the left side of the arc. The Cats held a 13-5 lead by the first media break, while shooting an 83.3 percent from the field in comparison to the Jacks 33.3 percent.
As the Cats found their second run of the game, 6-0, to take a 18-7 lead,
Trent McLaughlin found a wide open three shot to cut the lead to eight. By the under-12 timeout, the Bobcats committed five fouls while NAU held themselves to two.
Midway through the first half, the Bobcats were 60.0 percent from three-point range with 3-5 as the Cats remained on top 28-16. The Lumberjacks began chipping away after a MSU bad pass turnover while
Carson Basham went to work in the paint, scoring nine by the under-eight media break with a perfect 3-3 from the field and 3-3 from the line.
By halftime, the Jacks had cut the Cats lead to nine, after Montana State led by a first half-high 14. Basham led the Lumberjacks with nine and three rebounds, followed by McLaughlin with seven. The Jacks shot 37.5 percent from the field, and 25.0 from beyond the arc while Montana State maintained the lead with 56.5 percent from the field. NAU led the Cats in rebounding at the break, 13-12, proving to be a big point in NAU's defensive efforts.
18 of MSU's 37 points came in the paint as both Basham and
Diego Campisano were limited after a pair of fouls each early on. Robert Ford III led the Cats with 12 points, closely trailed by Brandon Walker who recorded 11 in the first half, in addition to a team-high four rebounds.
The Cats broke out on a 9-0 run as NAU fell scoreless for three and a half minutes to start the second half. A deep three-pointer from Brian Goracke forced the Jacks first timeout of the half as MSU led 46-31. A driving layup from McLaughlin put a stop to NAU's drought. That would be just one of two baskets for the Jacks by the under-12 timeout, as MSU's 15-2 run over a seven-minute span would give the Cats a 21-point lead with 11:57 remaining.
NAU could not dig itself out of the hole through the remainder of the half, finishing 29.4 percent from the field while allowing the Bobcats to shoot 55.3 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from three-point range. While four Bobcats finished in double digits, NAU's McLaughlin was the lone Lumberjack to do so with 13 points. The Jacks were outrebounded 34-24 while committing 16 turnovers in comparison to MSU's 14.
The Lumberjacks will make a quick turnaround to head to Missoula for a Saturday night matchup against the Griz, looking for NAU's first Big Sky victory of the season before returning to Findlay Toyota Court for the Jacks home conference debut next week. To stay up to date with NAU Basketball, follow the Jacks on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
