FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (Dec. 14, 2024) – The Northern Arizona women's basketball team has plenty to celebrate today. The Lumberjacks defeated visiting San Francisco by a final score of 92-83 today at the Rolle Activity Center in Flagstaff, Ariz., where head coach
Loree Payne won her 118
th career victory at Northern Arizona, setting the all-time wins record.
Additionally, junior
Sophie Glancey became the 23
rd member of NAU's 1,000-career point club in just her 80
th career game. Payne, in her eighth season at the helm, breaks Laurie Kelly's record of 117 games set from 2003-12.
Northern Arizona improves to 9-2 on the season, continuing the best start in program history and winning eight out of its last nine games. The Lumberjacks remain undefeated at home (4-0) and are a perfect 8-0 this season when scoring over 80 points.
San Francisco falls to 2-6 on the year, losing its fifth-straight. It's the second-straight season Northern Arizona has stayed undefeated against West Coast Conference opponents, winning six-straight over WCC foes. This was the first game ever played between the two in Flagstaff, as the Lumberjacks have now won two-straight over the Dons.
Six players scored in double figures for NAU today, led by
Nyah Moran with 18 points on 7-of-9 from the field. She also added five rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Taylor Feldman followed closely behind with 17 points, eight of which came from the free throw line. Feldman led the team with four assists and added two steals and five rebounds.
Both Glancey and
Leia Beattie scored 12 points, followed by
Olivia Moran who finished with 11 points and six rebounds.
Saniyah Neverson rounded out the scoring with a 10-point performance, also adding a team-high seven boards.
"I'm proud of our team. That was one of our better wins, a full 40-minute performance. To be able to put those numbers up offensively, we love playing here at home and the impact the elevation has, especially with our style of basketball," said Payne. "A huge congratulations to Sophie on 1,000 points. To have already two players reach 1,000 points this season with more on the way, it's a great time to be a Lumberjack."
Northern Arizona led for 38:56 of the contest and wasted no time leading 23-18 after the first quarter. The Lumberjacks made six out of their first 10 field goal attempts and quickly used a 9-0 run to lead 9-2 in the first two minutes of play. NAU led by as many as 14 in the first quarter, but the Dons made three-straight three-pointers to end the quarter and trim the lead down to five points entering the second.
The Dons picked up where they left off, making their fourth-straight three-pointer for a 12-0 run in the first minute of the second quarter, making it a two-point game in favor of the Lumberjacks. NAU scored 32 points in the second quarter, thanks to 10 points from
Nyah Moran and seven from Beattie. The Dons continued to hang around and trailed by six points when Beattie scored seven points during a 10-0 Lumberjack run to put NAU up by 16, 44-28. San Francisco used a 9-3 run to try and cut into the lead, but it was the Lumberjacks who led 55-41 at the half.
Despite each team scoring 21 points in the third quarter, the Lumberjacks led by double digits during the entire frame and led 76-62 heading into the fourth.
The Dons refused to go away, shooting 57.1 percent (8-14) in the fourth quarter while holding NAU to 42.9 percent (6-14), outscoring the Lumberjacks 21-16. With three minutes to play, USF made it interesting with a quick 6-0 run to trim the deficit to eight points. With 48 seconds left, a San Francisco layup made it just a 90-81 game before Feldman put the game away at the line, making both free throw attempts, as the 'Jacks went on to win 92-83.
As a team, NAU shot 45.5 percent (30-66) from the field, 9-of-28 from three-point range (32.1%) and 71.9 percent at the free throw line (23-32). It won the rebounding battle, 41-36 and forced 19 turnovers that turned into 25 points. The Lumberjacks also had 27 fast break points.
The Dons shot 46.8 percent from the field tonight (29-62), to go with 10-of-24 from three-point range (41.7%). At the free throw line, they made just 15 of 24 (62.5%).
Northern Arizona has two more non-conference games, both on the road. The Lumberjacks now face Fresno State on Thursday, Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. Mountain Standard time in Fresno, Calif. After a break from the holidays, NAU closes non-conference play at Grand Canyon on Sunday, Dec. 29.
