FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (December 30, 2025) – Northern Arizona men's basketball rings in the New Year and opens up conference play with a trip to the Treasure State. The Lumberjacks take on the defending Big Sky Tournament champion and preseason favorite to repeat, Montana, on Thursday at 4 p.m. MST at Dahlberg Arena in the league opener for both teams before continuing on to Montana State on Saturday at 6 p.m. MST in Worthington Arena.
Both games can be streamed on ESPN+ and the Northern Arizona Healthcare NAU Lumberjack Radio Network. The radio pregame show with
Mitch Strohman begins a half hour prior to both tip-offs.
NAU closed its non-conference slate with a resounding 112-60 victory over Benedictine Mesa Monday night at Findlay Toyota Court at the Walkup Skydome. Led by
Brennan Peterson's school record 7-for-7 performance from 3-point range, NAU drilled a season-high 17 3-pointers to head into conference play with a 6-7 record. Peterson set the new school record for most 3-pointers made in a game without a miss.
To open conference play, the Lumberjacks are out to prove the preseason polls wrong against two of the league's perennial contenders. Picked 10th in the preseason poll by both the coaches and media, NAU faces the two teams who have represented the Big Sky in the NCAA Tournament over the last four years. Montana claimed last season's auto bid to the Big Dance after Montana State won three straight conference tournament titles from 2022-24.
"The preseason polls have a short-term lifespan if you're going to be motivated by someone else," said head coach
Shane Burcar. "We've seen teams who were picked last go on to win their conference. That's our intention and I know there are nine other coaches with nine other teams who are thinking the same thing. Let's go win one game at a time and we'll see what happens at the end of the season."
The Lumberjacks carry momentum with them on the road, where they are seeking their first win away from Flagstaff this season, following their victory over Benedicine Mesa. In addition to Peterson's breakout game,
Zack Davidson recorded his fourth 20-point game of the season and
Arne Osojnik netted a season-high 18 points, all coming via six 3-pointers of his own.
Not only did NAU enjoy an offensive explosion after going six games in the month of December without eclipsing 70 points, the Lumberjacks also forced 25 turnovers and recorded 16 steals. NAU is first in the Big Sky and 70th nationally with 8.6 steals per game and have recorded double-digit steals in six of 13 games this season.
Davidson returns to Missoula as NAU's leading scorer at 15.2 points per game. Davidson, who spent his first two collegiate seasons at Montana, is shooting 63.1% from the field and has nine double-digit scoring games in all through non-conference play.
The Lumberjacks have dropped five straight to the Grizzlies, including three last season, and will take aim at their first win in Missoula since 2022. Meanwhile, NAU has won two of the last three meetings with Montana State with both victories coming at home. NAU has lost six straight in Bozeman dating back to 2018.
Montana is 6-7 heading into Thursday's Big Sky opener. The Grizzlies dropped their final two games before the holiday break to Montana Tech, 82-75, and No. 11 Louisville, 94-54, on Dec. 17 and Dec. 20 respectively.
Montana is the second-best shooting team in the league at 49.2%, good for 46th in the country, and is averaging 80.9 points per game. The Grizzlies are 12th nationally in defensive rebounds (29.9), but are near the bottom in offensive rebounds (8.3).
Money Willams, the preseason Big Sky MVP, is the Big Sky's second-leading scorer entering league play at 18.2 points per game. Williams also leads the league with 76 assists and is third with 5.8 per game.
Like NAU and Montana, Montana State also begins the week with a 6-7 record. The Bobcats have won two straight, most recently a 93-54 victory over Northwest on Dec. 22.
The Bobcats are the Big Sky's leader in scoring defense, allowing only 69.2 points per game, while scoring on average 78.8 per game. Montana State defends the 3-point line well with opponents only shooting 29.0% behind the arc and the Bobcats limit their turnovers, averaging a league-low 10.7 per game.
Patrick McMahon paces four Bobcats in double-digit scoring with 15.2 per game on 49.6% shooting. He is also second on the team with 4.6 rebounds per game.
Stay up to date with Northern Arizona men's basketball by following the Lumberjacks on
X and
Instagram.
