FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (Jan. 3, 2024) – In the first game of the Big Sky-Summit Challenge, the Northern Arizona University women's basketball team played host to South Dakota State tonight at Findlay Toyota Court in Flagstaff. The Lumberjacks led by 13 points with 7:46 left to go in the fourth but fell in double overtime by a final score of 110-102.
It was just the ninth double overtime game in program history and the first since Nov. 10, 2022, dropping NAU to 4-5 overall in double overtime contests. The loss also snaps a five-game winning streak as the Lumberjacks drop to 9-4 (1-0 Big Sky) on the year and SDSU improves to 8-4 (1-0 Summit) in the team's first-ever meeting.
Grace Beasley led the Lumberjacks with a career-high 23 points and nine rebounds, also adding four steals and two assists on 10-of-18 from the field.
Nyah Moran scored a season-high 20 with four three-pointers.
Emily Rodabaugh added 17 points with eight rebounds and four assists, while
Olivia Moran (13 points, five assists),
Sophie Glancey (12 points, 2 blocks, 7 rebounds) and
Leia Beattie (12 points, 5 assists) rounded things out.
Northern Arizona finished with just nine turnovers compared to 13 for SDSU. Both teams found success in the paint, with SDSU owning the 58-46 edge. However, the squads worked the perimeter as well with NAU making 11-of-23 from the field and the Jackrabbits making 9-of-21. At the free throw line, the Lumberjacks made just 15 of 24 while SDSU was 21-for-28. The Jackrabbits won the rebounding battle, 51-to-41.
In all, the game saw 15 ties and nine lead changes.
"Wow, what a game. Obviously, it wasn't the result that we wanted, but for us to be in this situation and play in a double overtime game, it's important for us to get that experience, especially in a non-conference game so we can prep for conference. At the end of the day, that's the stuff the matters, the Montana State game next Thursday is what we have been prepping for and we have one more opportunity to get a practice run in on Saturday before we turn around and revisit conference play," said head coach
Loree Payne. "I'm proud though, we battled. It was tough. South Dakota State is a very good team, and they have one of the best post players we'll play against all year. For us to be able to defend the way we did in the post was huge. I feel like in the first half our rebounding wasn't great, but we bounced back and toughened up in that area in the second half. We have to figure out how to execute better down the stretch. There's been a couple games where the fourth quarter hasn't been great for us offensively. There's a balance between pushing pace to get looks but understanding when to score and make good decisions. We just have to be a little better at executing and being aggressive offensively, while being mindful and intentional with the shots that we're taking. It happens. I'd rather this be a non-conference game than a conference game, so we'll learn from it and bounce back."
Eight early points by Beasley gave Northern Arizona an early 12-7 lead, and down the stretch, Rodabaugh gave the Lumberjacks their largest lead of the quarter, 19-14. South Dakota State started to find its footing and used a 6-0 run to pull ahead 20-19. A Jackrabbit three in the quarter's final seconds helped SDSU lead 24-21.
In the second quarter, both teams found stretches of making three-straight attempts from the field with the Jackrabbits holding a 37-36 lead. A corner three from
Olivia Moran put the lead back in NAU's hands and
Nyah Moran followed with a floater in the key to stretch the lead out to 43-40 for a quick 5-0 run. At the half, the Lumberjacks led 43-42.
Northern Arizona had just one turnover in the first half and shot 45.7 percent from the field and 60 percent from three-point range but were out-rebounded 22-to-15. The Jackrabbits shot 51.6 percent from the field in the first half and only committed four turnovers.
Beasley came out on fire again to start the second half, scoring six quick points to give Northern Arizona a 55-51 advantage. The game moved into a 59-59 tie when the Lumberjacks started to heat up. Rodabaugh and
Nyah Moran hit consecutive threes for a 67-63 lead and used an 8-2 run in all to force an SDSU timeout, up 69-65.
Out of the timeout the Lumberjacks closed the quarter on a 5-2 run to lead 74-67 for their largest lead of the game. Northern Arizona outscored SDSU 31-25 during the third frame and shot 66.7 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point range.
The Lumberjacks continued to pour it on in the fourth, opening the quarter on a 5-0 run that turned into 7-2 before SDSU called a timeout. Consecutive free throws from
Sophie Glancey stretched the lead out to 84-71, but the tables turned, and the Lumberjacks didn't make a field goal for over four minutes while the Jackrabbits used a 10-0 run to trim the lead to 84-81.
With 1:40 on the clock,
Olivia Moran gave NAU a much-needed basket. After SDSU tied the game 86-86 with 36 seconds left,
Olivia Moran was fouled and headed to the line, making both to take an 88-86 lead. With five seconds remaining, the Jackrabbits made a driving layup to tie the game 88-88. NAU's final attempt fell short, and the two sides went to overtime.
Overtime was a low scoring affair with both sides only scoring five points each. Beasley gave NAU a 93-91 lead with 2:35 remaining and with 34 seconds left, the Jackrabbits went to the free throw line and made both attempts, taking the game into double overtime tied 93-93.
South Dakota State outscored the Lumberjacks 17-6 in the second overtime period. Down 99-95,
Nyah Moran made it a two-point game with under three minutes left, but the Jackrabbits ran away with the contest, closing on a 9-3 run as the Lumberjacks fell 110-102.
The second and final game of the Big Sky-Summit Challenge for NAU takes place on Saturday, Jan. 6 at North Dakota State. Tipoff is set for 12 p.m. Mountain Standard time.
