ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (Nov. 28, 2024) – The Northern Arizona women's basketball team started the St. Pete's Showcase on a high note today, topping James Madison by a score of 85-83 in overtime in Tampa, Fla., on Thanksgiving Day.
With the win, NAU is now 6-1 for the first time since 1994-95 while the Dukes drop to 5-2 in the first-ever meeting between the two squads. In this week's Mid-Major poll, James Madison was ranked No. 13 while the Lumberjacks were ranked No. 14.
It's the fifth-straight victory for Northern Arizona, who is now 4-0 this season in games decided by five points or less and 5-0 when scoring at least 80 points.
Sophie Glancey would hit the game-winner in overtime for NAU, the second game-winning shot of the season for the Big Sky Preseason MVP. She led five Lumberjacks in double figures with her fourth double-double of the season, adding 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting and 12 rebounds.
Saniyah Neverson also collected a double-double with a career-high 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Leia Beattie added 14 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three steals, draining four triples in the first half.
Nyah Moran also scored 14 points and needs just 22 more to reach 1,000.
Taylor Feldman rounded things out with 10 points, six assists, and three steals.
Northern Arizona fell behind by 10 points, but used an 18-1 run to outscore JMU 28-15 in the second quarter to lead 39-32 at the half. In the third, NAU led by as many as 10 points, but James Madison shot 52 percent during the period to cut the lead to 57-54 entering the fourth. With eight minutes left to play, the Dukes retook the lead for the first time since the first quarter and were still holding a 71-70 lead with a minute to play. The last four minutes of regulation saw four lead changes and a tie. With 24 seconds to go, James Madison led 73-70 before
Taylor Feldman dished the ball to
Olivia Moran who nailed a three-pointer to send the game into overtime tied 73-73.
In the overtime period, the teams exchanged runs with JMU opening the frame on a 7-0 run. Northern Arizona responded with an 8-0 run and with 51 seconds left, the game was tied 83-83. Feldman found Glancey with three seconds on the clock for the winner, 85-83. The Dukes had a chance at the free throw line at the end, but came up short, as the Lumberjacks came away with the win.
"The resilience that this team keeps displaying in phenomenal," said head coach
Loree Payne, who picked up victory number 115 today at NAU and needs just three more to become the program's all-time winningest coach. "They never backed down to a very good JMU team. I'm so proud of our commitment to rebounding and trusting each other."
Northern Arizona got off to a slow start offensively, making 2-of-10 from the field and 0-of-5 from three-point range to trail 9-6 at the first media timeout. The Dukes pulled ahead 14-8 before a three-pointer from Beattie cut the lead to a possession. At the end of the first, JMU led 17-11 after making 7-of-18 from the field (39%) and holding the Lumberjacks to 5-of-22 (23%).
The Dukes looked to take control in the second quarter, opening up play with a 4-0 run to pull ahead 21-11. The Lumberjacks began to make up ground, using an 18-1 run and holding JMU without a field goal for 4:42 to run away with a 29-22 lead.
Once James Madison regrouped with a quick 4-0 run to trim the lead down to three points, Beattie went on a 6-0 run of her own with consecutive three pointers, giving her four on the day. Feldman would join in for an 8-0 run to help NAU pull ahead 37-26 and a force a JMU timeout.
James Madison refused to go away, closing the quarter on a 6-2 run to make it a 39-32 game in favor of the 'Jacks at the half. NAU would outscore JMU 28-to-15 in the second quarter and were led by Beattie with 12 first half points.
Nyah Moran came out and scored the first seven points for NAU to give the Lumberjacks their largest lead of 46-36 in the third quarter. After that, NAU entered a brief two-minute stretch without scoring. After exchanging bucket-for-bucket, Northern Arizona held a 52-45 lead with 3:22 left to play in the third.
The Dukes came within four points before Neverson fended them off with a three-pointer to put the lead back out to seven points, as the junior contributed with nine points during the frame. JMU held Northern Arizona off the board for the final two minutes of the third quarter, making five of its last seven field goal attempts and going on a 4-0 run to trim NAU's lead down to 57-54 entering the fourth quarter.
JMU kicked off the fourth quarter with a 6-0 run, retaking its first lead since the first quarter with eight minutes left to play. By the five minute mark, the Dukes led 64-63. Glancey had a huge fourth quarter and kept NAU in the game, making a bucket with 4:39 left to put the lead back in Northern Arizona's hands 65-64.
There were four lead changes in the final four minutes of play, and JMU used a 5-0 run to lead 71-67. With 1:19 left to play,
Taylor Feldman went to the free throw line and made both attempts, making it a 71-69 game in favor of the Dukes.
With 24 seconds left, James Madison looked to put the game away by retaking a 73-70 lead. However,
Olivia Moran would have the last say when she made a three-pointer, that was assisted by Feldman, with 16 seconds left to tie the game 73-73 and it into overtime.
James Madison quickly came out in the overtime period and went on a 7-0 run in 45 seconds to pull away 80-73. After NAU called timeout, Glancey, Feldman and Neverson teamed up for an 8-0 run to lead 81-80 lead. James Madison would not score any field goals for 2:48 of the period, but tied the game 83-83 with 51 seconds left. With three seconds left, Feldman found Glancey who hit the game-winning shot. The Dukes had one final chance at the line, but could not capitalize.
Northern Arizona won the rebounding battle, 51-to-46. They shot 42.2 percent (35-83) from the field and 8-for-38 from three-point range, but struggled at the free throw line and made 7-of-15. The Lumberjacks scored 17 points of 21 forced turnovers and scored 48 points in the paint.
The lead changed 10 times, and the Dukes shot 47.3 percent from the field (35-74), 25 percent from three-point range (4-16) and 52.9 percent (9-17) from the free throw line.
Northern Arizona has a day off before concluding the St. Pete's Showcase with a game against Tulane on Saturday, Nov. 30 at 11 a.m. Mountain Standard time. The Green Wave is 3-3 after defeating Florida earlier today. The game will be streamed on BallerTV.
