FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (January 16, 2023) – Looking for the first Big Sky victory of the season, the Lumberjacks (7-10, 0-3) return home to host Portland State and Sacramento State at the J.Lawrence Walkup Skydome on Findlay Toyota Court Thursday and Saturday, respectively.
The Jacks are looking to flip the script this week after falling in back-to-back road matches at Montana Sate and Montana while Portland State (11-6, 2-2) and Sacramento State (6-11, 2-2) are both coming off of Big Sky wins at home.
As a team, the Jacks are shooting 42.3 percent from the field, and 31.0 percent from beyond the arc. On the defensive side of the ball, NAU averages 29.7 rebounds a game, 5.5 steals, and 2.8 blocks. Individually,
Trent McLaughlin leads the Jacks with 14.4 points per game, closely trailed by
Oakland Fort with 9.4 and
Jayden Jackson with 9.1.
Carson Basham, who made his third start of the season against the Griz, is averaging 5.7 rebounds as a team high for the Lumberjacks while
Liam Lloyd follows with 4.2 a night. Lloyd leads the team in assists with 3.4 a game.
The Vikings split the weekend with a 69-63 loss to Idaho State followed by a 69-66 upset victory to Weber State to jump back in the win column. The Vikings are led by Texas Tech transfer KJ Allen who averages 10.7 points per game, followed by returner Jorrell Saterfield with 10.3 points a game. Allen has made his name quickly known across the Big Sky, averaging 8.2 rebounds a game in Big Sky matchups this season in addition 39 points and 4 steals.
Portland State, in a four-way tie for fourth place in the conference, saw a successful non-conference slate with a notable victory over Portland after a 5-0 start to the season marked the program's best in PSU's Big Sky era.
NAU trails the Viks 26-32 in the overall series while falling in the last four-straight. The Jacks last victory against PSU came in the 2021 Big Sky tournament as the Jacks defeated Portland State 77-66 to advance the quarterfinals for the program's first conference tournament victory since the 2015 season. Both of the Jacks losses to the Vikings last season came at just a one-point margin.
The Hornets picked up their first two conference wins this past weekend with a two-point victory against the Weber State Wildcats and another two-point victory against the Idaho State Bengals. The Hornets back-to-back wins put them in the four-way tie for fourth place in the Big Sky.
Duncan Powell currently leads the Hornets offensively, averaging 13.6 points per game while shooting 52.5 percent from the field. Powell leads the team defensively as well, with 8.5 boards a game. Zee Hamoda trails Powell with 12.5 points a game and a 43.2 field goal percentage. Hamoda led Sacramento State against ISU with seven field goals and 17 points, in addition to the final second game-winner from the junior.
The Lumberjacks lead the all-time series against the Hornets at 43-18 overall, winning the last matchup in Flagstaff 77-55. NAU has won the last four of five against Sacramento State. The Hornets have just six victories over the Jacks in Flagstaff, with the last coming in 2019.
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