FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (November 4, 2024) – NAU Basketball (1-0, 0-0 Big Sky) tipped off the 2024-25 campaign with a dominant 100-49 win over Park-Gilbert (AZ) on Monday night in Rolle Activity Center.
"With the excitement of our highest preseason ranking since 2015, it showed tonight with our crowd, I just want to send out a special thank you to our fans, it helps our guys and in basketball having a sixth man crowd is the real deal," head coach
Shane Burcar said.
Trent McLaughlin started his final season with the Jacks scoring 27 points, just four shy of his career-high while adding five steals, and five rebounds. Making his return to the court from a season-benching injuring last season,
Carson Towt picked right back up where he left off, grabbing his first double-double of the year with 16 points and 12 boards.
"The work that all 14 guys on our team and our coaching staff put in, that prep and hard work that we put into this game, it showed. I liked their discipline throughout, Trent had 27 points on 15 shots and shared the ball and I think that's a good indication of what kind of character we have on this team," Burcar said.
Leading from start to finish, a 13-0 run would kickstart the Lumberjacks offensive success, with McLaughlin picking up the first eight points of the night. Northern Arizona's 44.7 field goal percentage in the first half was backed by 19 points from McLaughlin and 10 from
Ryan Abelman who made his first career start. Abelman finished the night 4-of-6 from the field and 50.0 percent from three-point range.
Holding the Buccaneers to 26.9 percent from the field and a 21.4 three-point percentage through the first frame, the Jacks took a 52-23 lead into halftime, leading with 15 points off turnovers and 18 points in the paint.
Starting the second half off with a bang, Towt grabbed a steal followed by a fast-break dunk to set the tone once again. NAU closed out the night with 21 fast-break points, holding the Buccaneers to just six.
The Jacks closed out the win going 51.4 percent from the field, alongside 10 three pointers while holding Park to a 29.6 field-goal percentage as Marquis McKinzey led the Buccaneers with 20 points, the only player on his team to score in double digits.
Dillan Baker,
Ali Ragab,
Monty Bowser, and
Leigh Rickwood-Pitt all made their Lumberjack debuts tonight. Baker finished with seven points and four rebounds.
The Jacks will shift their focus to Friday night's 6 p.m. MST matchup with Nelson (AZ). To stay up to date with NAU Basketball, follow the Jacks on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
