FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (March 8, 2025) – With its sights set on making it back to the Big Sky Conference title game for the fourth-straight year, the Northern Arizona women's basketball team returns to Boise, Idaho for the Big Sky Championships at Idaho Central Arena from March 8-12.
The Lumberjacks have earned the No. 2 seed for the second-straight season and will take on the winner of No. 7 Eastern Washington vs. No. 8 Sacramento State on Sunday, March 9 at 1:30 p.m. Mountain Standard time. The Eagles and the Hornets clash on March 8 at 2:30 p.m. MST in the first round.
All games will be streamed on ESPN+ with the championship game on ESPNU.
James Malamas will also have the call via the Varsity Network App.
Northern Arizona finished second in the regular season with an overall record of 25-6 and a 16-2 mark in Big Sky play – setting a regular season wins record with 25 and notching the best conference record in program history. A win over the Eagles or Hornets would break the single season overall wins record with 26. The Lumberjacks enter the tournament on a seven-game winning streak, most recently topping Idaho State 83-71 on Senior Night.
NAU swept both the Eagles and the Hornets in the regular season, and the teams have built quite a history together in Boise. Last season, Northern Arizona beat Sacramento State in the second round before falling to EWU in the championship. The year prior, NAU beat the Eagles in the semifinals before losing to the Hornets in the championship game.
The 'Jacks have advanced to the Big Sky title game three years in a row, with an 18-24 all-time record at the tournament, winning its lone tournament title in 2005-06 in Pocatello, Idaho as the three seed.
On Friday, NAU raked in several All-Conference awards, highlighted by
Saniyah Neverson as the Top Reserve of the Year.
Sophie Glancey and
Taylor Feldman earned unanimous first team honors, with Glancey earning a spot on the All-Defensive team as well.
Nyah Moran rounded out the selections with a second team honor.
Neverson earns the program's first 'Top Reserve' award since the 1998 season after averaging 7.2 points, 7.9 rebounds and 25.3 minutes per game off the bench this season – appearing in all 31 games with three starts. The junior scored in double figures 10 times, grabbing over 10 rebounds in six contests with two double-doubles.
Glancey was named the Big Sky's Preseason MVP and put up numbers worthy of that honor throughout the entire season. The Boise, Idaho native claimed Big Sky Player of the Week honors seven times during the year, ranking 10
th in the nation with 16 double-doubles in 31 games played. She led the Big Sky in scoring in all games (18.0) and conference-only games (18.6). Glancey scored in double figures 28 times this season, including 13 games with 20 or more points and 17 with at least 10 rebounds.
The junior also ranked third in the Big Sky in rebounds per game (9.3), leads the league in field goal percentage (50.7%) and in blocked shots (1.8). She ranks second on NAU's single season scoring list with 559 points this season and is third all-time with 55 blocks on the year.
Feldman emerged as one of the league's top point guards this season, ranking second behind Glancey in the Big Sky in points per game with 16.7 to earn her first career All-Big Sky honor. The junior won Big Sky Player of the Week four times, scoring in double figures 26 times including 10 games with 20 points or more and one 30-point performance. Feldman ranks third in the Big Sky Conference in free throw percentage (151-177) knocking down 85.3 percent of her attempts at the line – ranking sixth in single-season free throw percentage and second in single-season free throws made at NAU. This season, she made 45-straight to set a program record for consecutive free throws made.
Feldman was also lethal behind the three-point line, knocking down 55 this season which is the fourth-most in the conference. She made at least three in 10 games. The Tustin, Calif., native also ranked third in conference in assists per game (3.8) with 115 on the season – dishing at least five 13 times. She is also second in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.7) and ninth in minutes per game (31.6). She ranks seventh all-time in single-season history at NAU with 500 points.
Moran earns her first-career All-Big Sky honor with a spot on the second team. This season, she eclipsed the 1,000-career point mark and now ranks seventh all-time with 1,219 career points. Moran played in and started all 31 games and is averaging a career-high 11.5 points per game.
Leia Beattie ranks second in the Big Sky in three-point percentage, knocking down 38.8 percent of her shots behind the arc with 69 three-pointers to lead the league. She is also the league-leader in assist-to-turnover ratio with 1.8, ranking sixth in the Big Sky with 3.6 assists per game.
Olivia Moran has scored 1,157 career points, just shy of the all-time scoring list. This season, she is averaging a career-high 8.8 points per game and leads the team in steals with 35.
As a team, Northern Arizona ranks 13
th nationally in scoring offense (80.3), eighth in rebounds per game (42.71), eighth in defensive rebounds per game (29.7), 14th in three-pointers made per game (9.1), 10
th in three-point attempts per game (27.8), 22
nd in free throws made per game (14.97), 32nd in assists per game (16.7) and 24th in assist/turnover ratio (1.22).
The Eagles, who are the reigning Big Sky tournament champions, finished the season 11-19 overall and 7-11 in Big Sky play. Sacramento State ended the year 7-11 in conference action and 14-17 overall.
