| Northern Arizona Women's Basketball |
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (Jan. 9, 2024) – Looking to right the ship after two losses in the Big Sky-Summit Challenge last week, the Northern Arizona University women's basketball team resumes Big Sky Conference play this week at home.
The Lumberjacks play host to Montana State on Thursday, Jan. 11 at 6 p.m. Mountain Standard time before taking on Montana on Saturday, Jan. 13 at 2 p.m. MST. Both games take place at Findlay Toyota Court inside the J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome in Flagstaff and on ESPN+. Additionally, if fans bring a pair of new, unused, socks to Saturday's game to be donated to local Flagstaff shelters, admission is free.
A LOOK AT THE LUMBERJACKS: NAU's five-game winning streak and six-game road winning streak came to an end last week to move to 9-5 overall (1-0 Big Sky). The Lumberjacks lost to South Dakota State in double-overtime at home before falling to a hot-shooting North Dakota State squad on the road. Big Sky Conference play began on Saturday, Dec. 30 where the Lumberjacks began the slate 1-0 after topping Northern Colorado 76-72.
All five of NAU's starters have scored in double figures in two-straight games, with four currently owning a double figure scoring average on the season.
Sophie Glancey leads the way with 12.6 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. Glancey leads the Big Sky Conference in field goal percentage as she has made 52.9 percent of her attempts from the field, while ranking third with 1.1 blocks per game.
Emily Rodabaugh moved into a tie for eighth all-time on Northern Arizona's career scoring list at NDSU and is currently averaging 11.9 points per game. Rodabaugh, a fifth-year senior, makes her living behind the three-point line ranking third in the conference in three-point percentage (38.4%), second in three-pointers made (33) and third in triples per game with 2.4.
Leia Beattie and
Grace Beasley will be reunited with a few familiar faces on Thursday night as the pair transferred in from Montana State following the 2022-23 season. Beattie, who has made a three-pointer in 13-straight games, is averaging 10.7 points and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 40.8 percent from the field. Beasley has a pair of 20-point performances under her belt this season and is adding 10.7 point, 4.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.9 steals per game.
The Lumberjack offense is averaging 77.6 points per game to top the Big Sky but are last in defense with opponents adding 74.9 points per game. Northern Arizona takes great care of the basketball, committing 10-or-less turnovers in three out of the last four games. As a team, NAU forces 16.9 miscues per game while only committing 13.8. The Jacks also rank second in assist-to-turnover ratio with 1.17.
In the conference rankings, NAU is first in blocked shots (3.5), and second in assists (16.07) and steals (9.07) per game.
SERIES HISTORY WITH MONTANA STATE: Northern Arizona is coming off a season sweep over Montana State last season. The Lumberjacks picked up an 85-80 win on the road in Bozeman, its first since 2009-10, to snap an eight-game losing streak to MSU. One of the contests during the streak took place in the 2021-22 Big Sky Championship game in Boise, the last time NAU lost to the Bobcats. Northern Arizona finished off the Bobcats with a dominate 79-50 win at home the last time the two squads have clashed, winning two-straight against MSU.
All-time, NAU trails MSU 24-54 and are 14-20 against the Bobcats in Flagstaff.
A LOOK AT THE BOBCATS: Montana State is 8-7 on the season and started the year 2-0 in conference action with a two-point win at home against Idaho State followed by a victory over Weber State. NAU and the Bobcats played the same opponents during the Big Sky-Summit Challenge with MSU beating North Dakota State, 65-45, but losing to South Dakota State 61-53.
In the Big Sky preseason polls, the Bobcats were selected to finish fourth by both the coaches and the media while NAU was picked first by the media and second by the coaches.
The Bobcats average just 60.1 points per game but lock down and hold opponents to 58.1 while leading the league in opponent field goal percentage (36.6%). Montana State also limits its opponents to 26.6 percent behind the arc while ranking second in blocks (3.33) and third in steals (9.07) behind the Lumberjacks.
Katelynn Limardo leads MSU in both points (13.3) and rebounds (6.8) per game. She also ranks fifth in free throw percentage and seventh in three-pointers per game.
SERIES HISTORY WITH MONTANA: Although Northern Arizona trails the all-time series, 17-62, the squads are 5-5 in the last 10 meetings with the last two games being decided by four or less points. Last season, the Lumberjacks edged the Griz 76-74 on the road for the program's first win in Missoula since 2006-07. The Griz got their revenge in the season's second game, winning 80-76 in overtime in Flagstaff.
All-time, Northern Arizona is 10-26 against Montana at home and have won three out of the last five. Additionally, four of the last five games between the two squads have been decided by six points or less.
A LOOK AT THE GRIZ: Montana plays at Northern Colorado on Thursday night before coming to Flagstaff but have won seven-straight and are 10-3 on the year. On the road, Montana is a perfect 4-0 and started Big Sky play 2-0 with wins over Weber State and Idaho State.
In the preseason polls, the Griz were picked third by both the coaches and the media.
The Griz rank right behind NAU in points per game in the conference with 74.5, outscoring opponents by 9.2 points per game. Montana also leads the league in field goal percentage, knocking down 44.7 percent of its attempts from the field. Additionally, the Griz leads the league in three-point percentage (36.7%) and three-pointers per game (10.0) and are second in assist-to-turnover ratio behind NAU (1.03).
Carmen Gfeller, a preseason All-Big Sky pick, leads the Griz with 13.6 points per game while Dani Bartsch is second in rebounds with 8.7. Gfeller is right behind Glancey in field goal percentage, knocking down 52.7 percent. Maggie Espenmiller-Mcgraw knocks down 2.3 triples per game at a league-leading 46.2 percent clip. The Griz also boast Gina Marxen who is third in assists per game (3.9) and leads the league in assist-to-turnover ratio with 2.7.
UP NEXT: The Lumberjacks hit the road for the first time in Big Sky play, taking on Portland State on Jan. 18 before a rematch of the Big Sky title game takes place at Sacramento State on Jan. 20.
