CHENEY, Wash. (Feb. 22, 2024) – The Northern Arizona University women's basketball team suffered a 67-42 loss tonight at Eastern Washington in Cheney, Wash.
With the defeat, the two teams split the regular season meetings as NAU drops to 19-8 and 11-3 in Big Sky Conference play and the Eagles improve to 22-5 and 12-2, snapping a three-game losing streak to the Lumberjacks.
Nyah Moran (13 points) and
Leia Beattie (12 points) were the lone Lumberjacks in double figures. The Lumberjacks were held to their lowest shooting percentage of the year at 20.9 percent (14-67) while the Eagles shot 37.7 percent (23-61). NAU was also outrebounded 52-42. At the free throw line, the Lumberjacks were just 10-17 compared to 15-16 for the Eagles.
"Obviously, a tough one tonight. Eastern played a great game. They dominate us on the boards and forced us to shoot some off balanced, rushed, shots. I'm also a firm believer that free throws can win or lose us games, so we have to get more consistent from the line especially in pressure situations," said head coach
Loree Payne. "We have a lot to figure out as a team, and it's crucial that we figure it out quickly."
Eastern Washington started hot on a 6-0 run, holding the Lumberjacks scoreless until the 4:25 mark when
Emily Rodabaugh would score four quick points to cut the lead to two. After holding EWU scoreless for nearly three minutes, it picked back up with another 6-0 run for a 12-4 lead. At the end of the first, Northern Arizona trailed 16-8.
Northern Arizona used a 5-0 run to start the second quarter, cutting the lead to 18-16 after a
Nyah Moran three-pointer. Both teams struggled from the field, as the Lumberjacks did not make a field goal for the final 5:44 of the quarter and the Eagles didn't score for over four minutes during the frame as well.
Northern Arizona was held to 19.4 percent (6-31) from the field and the Eagles shot 23.5 percent (11-35) during the first half as NAU trailed 26-18 heading into the locker room.
Nyah Moran had 10 first half points.
Both teams collected themselves at the half and came out trading basket for basket. Eastern Washington pulled ahead by 10 points and the lead continued to stretch to 45-30 after the Lumberjacks did not make a field goal for over four and a half minutes. After being outscored 23-16 in the third, NAU trailed 52-34 heading into the fourth.
NAU was ultimately outscored 15-8 in the fourth quarter en route to the loss.
Northern Arizona looks to bounce back at Idaho on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 3 p.m. Mountain Standard time as it goes for the season sweep over the Vandals.
