SACRAMENTO, Calif. (February 15, 2024) – Picking up the second-consecutive Big Sky victory, the Lumberjacks (12-14, 5-7) handed Sacramento State their ninth-straight loss in a 73-58 road win for NAU.
"I think the character we have shows in this team, it's hard to win on the road let alone in the Big Sky, so we'll celebrate this one and prepare for another on Saturday," head coach
Shane Burcar said.
NAU's offensive spark came early as the Jacks started the game off 5-6 from the field to take a 14-10 lead into the first media timeout.
Liam Lloyd got the three-pointers rolling early, finding the Lumberjack's first of the night just over two minutes into play followed by a
Trent McLaughlin second-chance shot from beyond the arc after
Tichyque Musaka created the opportunity coming off the bench.
Five of the Hornets first 17 points would come at the line as the Lumberjacks were charged with five quick fouls in comparison to Sacramento State's two by the 11:30 mark. Coming out of the under-12 media timeout, the Hornets found themselves scoreless from the field for nearly four minutes while an
Oakland Fort three-pointer would extend NAU to a 7-0 run in a minute-and-a-half span. The Hornets could not find a field goal for a six minute and twenty second stretch, sinking seven free throws in that span to keep them in it.
As play would continue with a back-and-forth battle from the Jacks and Hornets, NAU was able to hold the lead after breaking a 16-16 tie, shooting 54.2 percent from the field in the first 17 minutes of the game to take a three-point lead at 32-29 into the final media timeout of the first half. While a scoreless final three minutes would end the first frame, the Lumberjacks held onto a 32-31 lead at halftime as
Carson Basham led the Jacks with eight points, shooting 75.0 percent from the field.
Jayden Jackson grabbed a team-high four rebounds through the first twenty minutes, followed by Lloyd and Basham with three apiece.
With a 46.4 to 38.7 field goal percentage advantage through the first frame, the Lumberjacks would look to minimize Hornet offensive rebounds and points in the paint in the second half after allowing Sacramento State 12 offensive boards and a +8 margin in the paint. Four Lumberjacks would find a three-pointer in the first half in Lloyd, McLaughlin,
Oakland Fort, and
Diego Campisano, the Hornets would not attempt one.
As NAU took a 3-for-6 start to the second half, they would hold Sacramento State to 2-of-7, extending the lead to four with 15:41 remaining at the first media break. A low-scoring second half would continue as the Jacks forces four Sacramento State turnovers in the first seven minutes of the half while the Hornets were +6 on the boards to keep the score within reach.
C.J. Ford would find his first three-pointer in four games, followed by a McLaughlin three-pointer to put the Jacks on an 8-0 run for the nine-point lead with just over 11 minutes to go. Just ahead of the media timeout with 9:35 left, Ford found his second three-pointer of the night, marking the ninth of the night for NAU as a team, while the Jacks led 55-44.
McLaughlin would knock back-to-back triples for his fifth and sixth of the night, hitting a career-high in three-pointers made in a single game while shooting 60.0 percent from beyond the arc. By the under-eight timeout, NAU outscored the Hornets 31-15 in the second frame. Campisano would hit the Lumberjacks 12
th three-pointer of the game with under a minute to go, followed by one more as the Jacks hit their season-high in three-pointer made, finishing 50.0 from three-point range.
McLaughlin led the way with 24 points, four assists, and two steals, while Basham tabbed double-digits as well with 15 points and four boards.
Jayden Jackson recorded a team-high eight rebounds and a career-high five steals. Campisano's three triples would put him in double-digits as well with 11 points, finishing 4-of-5 from the field. NAU's 53.8 field goal percentage and 56.3 three-point percentage would lead the Jacks to the 15-point victory in addition to converting on 22 points off of Hornet turnovers.
NAU Basketball will close out the road trip with a 5 p.m. MST match at Portland State on Saturday, looking to complete a second-consecutive Big Sky season sweep. To stay up to date with NAU Basketball, follow the Jacks on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
