FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (November 9, 2025) – Northern Arizona men's basketball heads south for a Tuesday night in-state game against No. 13 Arizona at 7 p.m. MST in McKale Memorial Center.
Fans can catch the game on
ESPN+ and on the Northern Arizona Healthcare NAU Lumberjack Radio Network.
Mitch Strohman will have the radio call starting with the pregame show at 6:30 p.m. MST.
"We want to get better every single day," said head coach
Shane Burcar. "This is a big picture game and we're going down there to compete. To play a top 10 team in their building, it's going to be good for our guys. These are the types of games you want to play because we want to continue building as we start the season."
The Lumberjacks travel to Tucson to face their first nationally-ranked team in two years when they visited No. 6 UConn in the 2023-24 season opener. Arizona is currently ranked 13th in the AP Poll, but is poised to make a significant jump after an impressive first week. The Wildcats (2-0) defeated No. 3 Florida, 93-87, on a neutral court in Las Vegas in their season opener and followed up with a 93-67 home win over Utah Tech on Friday.
Meanwhile, the Lumberjacks are coming off their first win of the season, 87-55, on Friday over Justice University. NAU (1-1) led wire-to-wire and were paced by
Zack Davidson's 21 points and eight rebounds. Davidson has posted a pair of 20-point scoring games to start his NAU career. He leads the Big Sky, and ranks 18th nationally, in scoring with 25.0 points per game while shooting 64.7% from the field.
While Davidson has shouldered the leading role through the first week,
Arne Osojnik and
Ryan Abelman are also both averaging double-figure points with 12.5 per game each. Both Osojnik and Abelman have contributed in other areas as well. Osojnik is averaging 4.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists and has three steals and two blocks. Abelman is averaging 7.5 rebounds and leads the team with eight assists and four steals.
Karl Poom and
Traivar Jackson, like Davidson and Osojnik as transfers to the Lumberjacks this season, have also impressed in the first two games. Poom is averaging 8.0 points per game off the bench, including his first collegiate double-digit scoring game against Justice with 12 points, and Jackson leads the team with 9.0 rebounds per game.
Arizona is the second NCAA Tournament team that NAU will square off with in its first three games. The Wildcats were voted fourth in the preseason Big 12 coaches poll coming off a trip to the Sweet 16 last season.
Through two games, Arizona is an efficient offensive team, averaging 93.0 points per game on 53.2% shooting. The Wildcats are third in the Big 12 in field goal percentage and 3-point percentage (.450).
True freshman Koa Peat leads the Wildcats in scoring at 24.0 points per game. Peat, a preseason watch list player for the Karl Malone Award, scored 30 points in Arizona's season-opening win over the defending national champion and is one of four Wildcats averaging double-figure scoring. Tobe Awaka, an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection last year, ranks 25th in the country in rebounding at 11.5 per game.
NAU and Arizona meet for the first time since 2021 and for the 129th time in program history. Arizona leads the all-time series, 103-25, and have won 34 consecutive meetings dating back to NAU's last win in the series in 1968. The Lumberjacks last claimed a win in Tucson in 1958 with the Wildcats winning 40 consecutive games on their home floor.
Following the game in Tucson, NAU will play four consecutive games at home in the Rolle Activity Center.
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