FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (February 19, 2025) – Northern Arizona Basketball (15-12, 6-8) is set to host two of their final three home contests this week, taking on the Idaho Vandals (11-15, 6-7) at 6 p.m. MST on Thursday and the Eastern Washington Eagles (10-16, 6-7) on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. MST.
The Lumberjacks are coming off a win at Sacramento State after falling to Portland State on the road. NAU is shooting 45.0 percent from the field, holding opponents to 44.2 percent from the field. The Jacks average 39.1 rebounds per game, ranking 28
th overall in the nation while leading all Big Sky teams. With four regular-season meetings left on the slate, NAU sits in eighth place in league standings, as one of four six-win teams.
Just one rebound shy of becoming just the second player in program history to record 1,000 career rebounds at Northern Arizona,
Carson Towt is closing in on the all-time rebounding record, currently set at 1,044. Towt leads the nation with 12.7 rebounds per game, while second in the nation in double-double performances, recording 18 total this season. Towt's field goal percentage of 56.7 from the field ranks 34
th in the country.
Trent McLaughlin also remains amongst the nation's best, ranking 6
th in the country in scoring with 21.2 points per game.
Four Lumberjacks are averaging double-digit scoring in conference meetings, with McLaughlin leading the way at 19.2 points per contest, followed by 12.0 from
Jayden Jackson, 11.6 from Towt, and 10.0 from
Diego Campisano.
Monty Bowser averages 7.3 points per game in conference play as well. Jackson is currently shooting 41.4 percent from the field while second in the Big Sky in assist/turnover ratio at 2.3. Campisano is averaging 2.1 three-pointers in conference matchups, hitting six triples in the last three games for the Jacks.
Thursday and Saturday's meetings will feature Northern Arizona's alternate identity, the 'Astrojacks.' Announced in August, the new alternate identity was chosen to recognize and celebrate Flagstaff and the greater Northern Arizona region's rich lunar legacy, including Flagstaff being named the world's first International Dark Sky City in 2001. The Astrojacks will land on Flagstaff's soil six times during the 2024-25 athletic seasons – including two women's basketball and two men's basketball games, plus women's soccer and volleyball that took place in the Fall.
The Jacks will have all eyes set on the season sweep's this week as NAU defeated both Idaho and Eastern Washington in the January road meetings. The Vandals fell in an 80-72 final in Moscow. The Vandals are currently seeded sixth in conference standings, coming off a two-point loss to EWU, leading the game for all but seven seconds. Idaho is currently led by Kristian Gonzalez who is posting 11.4 points per game this season, followed by 10.8 from Kolton Mitchell, 10.4 from Tyler Mrus, and 10.1 from Jack Payne. As a team, the Vandals are shooting 44.6 percent from the field, 35.1 percent from beyond the arc, and averaging 33.1 rebounds per game.
Eastern Washington will head to Greeley for a Thursday night meeting with the Bears before Saturday afternoon's contest in Flagstaff. The Eagles are looking to build off the two-point victory over Idaho last week, riding a four-game win streak into their Northern Colorado matchup. EWU's last loss was Jan. 30 at Idaho State where they fell 78-70 against the Bengals. The Eagles 45.9 percent from the field this season ranks fourth in the Big Sky behind Northern Colorado, Montana, and Portland State. Individually, EWU is led by Andrew Cook's 15.5 points per game, Mason Williams' 14.5, and Nic McClain's 11.8. Emmett Marquardt leads the team on the boards, grabbing 4.6 rebounds per game, closely trailed by Sebastian Hartmann's 4.2.
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