MISSOULA, Mont. (Feb. 8, 2025) – The Northern Arizona women's basketball team secured a commanding 96-76 victory over the Montana Grizzlies, marking the first time they have swept the Griz in the regular season. The Lumberjacks also set records for the most points ever scored against Montana on the road and the most three-pointers made against the Lady Griz, whether at home or away.
"I'm so proud of the team and their ability to bounce back after a tough game on Thursday," head coach Loree Payne said. "We stayed incredibly united, and it showed today. It also helps when the ball is going through the hoop! Excited to be back home next weekend!"
The first quarter saw the Lumberjacks struggle to find their rhythm early on, missing several jumpers as Montana jumped out to a 6-0 lead. Sophie Glancey put Northern Arizona on the board with a layup, but Montana quickly answered with one of their own. Taylor Feldman provided a spark, scoring back-to-back baskets, including a three-pointer to cut the deficit to one. The momentum swung back and forth, with Montana responding with a layup and a fast-break three to extend their lead to 13-9. Northern Arizona fought back with three-pointers from Nyah Moran and Allie Cummins, closing the gap. Olivia Moran hit two free throws to bring NAU within one, and a late three from Glancey finally put them ahead 20-18.
Montana opened the second quarter with a layup, but Northern Arizona quickly responded with a three-pointer from Feldman. The Lumberjacks extended their lead with another three-pointer by Nyah Moran, pushing the advantage to six points. Montana fought back with a layup, but Olivia Moran answered with one of her own. Leia Beattie drained a three-pointer, followed by a layup from Glancey, extending the lead to nine. Montana responded with a jumper, but another three from Feldman widened the gap to 10 at 36-26. NAU's defense tightened, forcing misses and turnovers by the Griz. Glancey and Beattie contributed key baskets, while Cummins added a fast-break layup. Saniyah Neverson capped off a dominant seven-point run with a three-pointer. Montana managed to chip away with a few late layups, but Glancey closed the quarter strong with another basket, sending Northern Arizona into the break with a 51-37 lead. The Lumberjacks dominated in shooting percentage, hitting 86.7% from the field and 83.3% from three-point range.
Returning from halftime, Olivia Moran hit a jumper, followed by a steal from Feldman, which led to a fast-break three-pointer by Olivia Moran. Feldman then added another three, pushing the lead to 19 at 59-40. Northern Arizona's offensive surge continued with Beattie hitting a three, extending the lead to 22 and forcing Montana to call a timeout. After the break, Glancey converted a layup, while Montana responded with a jumper to put the score at 64-42. A fast-break three from Montana momentarily cut the deficit to 19, but free throws from Olivia Moran and a three-pointer by Glancey extended the lead to 24. The Lumberjacks continued their dominance, building a 30-point lead in the final minute of the quarter, capped off by a deep three from Cummins. The 'Jacks entered the final quarter with a commanding 83-54 advantage.
Montana opened the fourth quarter with a layup, but Northern Arizona responded immediately with a three-pointer from Feldman. A jumper from Nyah Moran further extended the lead to 32 points at 88-56. The Griz fought back with a pair of three-pointers, trimming the deficit to 26. However, Northern Arizona answered with another deep three from Nyah Moran, keeping their lead steady at 91-62. Both teams exchanged missed shots and turnovers before Neverson extended the lead to 31 with a layup. In the closing minutes, Montana added a few baskets and a free throw, but the Lumberjacks maintained control, closing out the game with a dominant 96-76 win.
Feldman led NAU with 21 points, followed by Glancey with 18 and Cummins with a career-high 15.
Northern Arizona tied the single-game program record for three-pointers with 17 and also set a new record for the most points ever scored by an opponent at Dahlberg Arena. The Lumberjacks were flawless from the free-throw line, sinking all seven of their attempts.
The 'Jacks will return home to face Portland State on Thursday, Feb. 13 at 6:00 p.m. Mountain Standard time and Sacramento State on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 2:00 p.m. MST.
