FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (January 30, 2024) – NAU Basketball (10-11, 3-4) returns to Findlay Toyota Court this week to host Weber State (12-9, 3-5) and Idaho State (8-13, 3-5) for the front end of a four-game home stand.
The Lumberjacks will look to jump back in the win column after falling to the top-seeded Eastern Washington, who is undefeated in Big Sky Conference play this season. Prior to Saturday's loss in Cheney, the Jacks won three-straight league matchups to Portland State, Sacramento State, and Idaho.
With 11 remaining games of ahead of the Big Sky Tournament, the Lumberjacks have already surpassed the number of regular season wins in the 2022-23 campaign, which was nine total. NAU currently sits in sixth place in the conference standings, while Weber State is seventh and Idaho State in eighth.
Leading the Lumberjack offense,
Trent McLaughlin ranks third in conference scoring, averaging 17.3 point per game in conference meetings. McLaughlin has tabbed 16 double-digit scoring games in 20 starts this season, including seven 20+ games and one 30+ game in his career-high night against the Hornets where he tabbed 31 points.
Carson Basham has stepped up in league play, while the junior is averaging 16.8 points and 8.6 rebounds a night in his last five games. Basham picked up his career high in points against Portland State, with 23 while adding his third double-double this season in addition to a career-high six blocks.
Oakland Fort has found his role as the Lumberjacks point guard, averaging 10.4 points and 4.7 rebounds a game in Big Sky play. Fort recorded his first collegiate double-double against the Idaho Vandals last week, finishing with 14 points and 10 rebounds. In the last four competitions, Fort has averaged 36.5 minutes on the floor in comparison to the 26.2 minutes he was averaging in the previous four matchups.
The Jacks tabbed their season-best in field goal percentage at 55.6 against the Vandals last week, while shooting remains to be a sore spot for NAU who sits in ninth in the Big Sky's team field goal percentage category. When it comes to turnover margin, the Lumberjacks rank amongst the top teams in the league, in fourth with an average of .86. The Jacks have seen defensive success when it comes to blocked shots in conference play, also ranking fourth in the Big Sky while averaging 3.75 a night.
Weber State will be looking to snap a tough streak as the Wildcats have gone 1-5 in their last six matchups after a 2-0 start to conference play. WSU is coming off a ten-point loss to the Bengals as ISU ended the game on a 10-0 run.
Leading the Wildcats is Dillon Jones, the only player in Big Sky history with at least 1000 points, 1000 rebounds, 300 assists, and 150 steals in a career. Jones leads the Cats in points with 19.3, rebounds with 9.9, and assists with 4.9. Steven Verplancken leads the conference in three-point percentage while shooting 48.8 percent from beyond the arc in conference meetings while averaging 11.5 points a game overall. Dyson Koehler and Blaise Threatt also average double-digit scoring with 11.0 and 10.4 a game, respectively.
As a team, the Wildcats average 75.2 points a game, while holding opponents to 65.0. The Wildcats rank second in the Big Sky in opponent three-point percentage, holding opponents to a conference low 47 three-point field goals made and just 35.1 percent a game. The Wildcats are averaging 33.3 boards a game, while +1.6 on the season.
Idaho State will take on Northern Colorado on Thursday night before heading to Flagstaff for a Saturday afternoon matchup. The Bengals head coach Ryan Looney extended his win streak in the Dee Events Center to four-straight as ISU picked up its third conference victory this season. The Bengals shot 50.0- percent from the field, going 3-of-15 from three-point range while holding the Wildcats to 43.1 percent from the field and 6-of-21 from beyond the arc.
With four starters averaging double-digit scoring, Brayden Parker leads the Bengals with 13.5 points per game alongside 5.6 rebounds. Miguel Tomley and Kiree Huie follow with 11.7 points a game, and Maleek Arington rounds things out at 10.3 points a contest.
The Bengals are currently shooting 45.8 percent from the field, and 31.8 percent from three. ISU outrebounds opponents by an average of +1.0 a night, averaging 32.0 boards a game total.
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