BOISE, Idaho (March 9, 2025) – The Northern Arizona women's basketball team is off to the Big Sky Conference semifinal for the fourth-straight season after beating No. 8 Sacramento State by a final score of 69-65 in the second round of the tournament in Boise, Idaho, at the Idaho Central Credit Union.
NAU will play the winner of No. 3 Idaho and No. 6 Montana on Tuesday, March 11 at 1:30 p.m. Mountain Standard time.
Although the Lumberjacks had an uncharacteristic day shooting just 28 percent from the field, they tied the single-game tournament record in rebounds with 59 – collecting 19 offensive boards and 40 defensive rebounds.
In her hometown of Boise, Idaho,
Sophie Glancey collected her 17
th double-double of the season and broke NAU's single-season rebound record, now sitting at 302 in her career – just the second Lumberjack ever to grab over 300 rebounds in NAU history. She finished with 16 points and 15 rebounds.
Northern Arizona sets the single-season wins record for the second-straight season, improving to 26-6 on the year. The Hornets end their season 15-18 overall, falling to NAU in the second round for the second-straight season.
Taylor Feldman also scored in double figures, scoring 18 to go with a team-high four assists.
Saniyah Neverson concluded with a career-high 16 rebounds, 13 of which were defensive.
Once the Lumberjacks settled in, they used a 7-0 run that included five points from Feldman and two from
Nyah Moran to take a 15-7 lead, forcing the Hornets to call for an early timeout. Out of the break, the run stretched to 9-0 after
Ava Schmidt made a pair of free throws and the defense kept Sacramento State off the board for 3:01 during the first. The Hornets collected themselves, using a 6-0 run and keeping NAU without a field goal for 2:48, cutting the lead to 17-13. At the end of the first, the Lumberjacks led 19-13.
Two minutes into the second quarter, the Lumberjacks stretched their lead out to 11, 26-15. After another scoring lull of nearly three minutes, Schmidt drained a three to extend the lead out to 29-18. The Hornets had all of the momentum to end the half, going on an 8-0 run and holding NAU scoreless for the final 2:12. At the half, the Lumberjacks led 34-28.
Northern Arizona shot 30 percent (12-40) from the field while the Hornets shot 32 percent (12-38) in the first half. Each team turned the ball over six times and NAU won the rebounding battle, 29-20.
Sacramento State extended its run out to 12-0 to start the half, cutting the lead to 34-32.
Nyah Moran put a stop to the run at the free throw line, making both attempts, but the Lumberjacks didn't make a field goal until the 4:42 mark. With 4:28 left to play, NAU led 40-36. The Hornets continued to work, holding the 'Jacks without a field goal for over three minutes to trim the deficit down to a point. After the Hornets outscored NAU 18-12 in the third quarter, both teams entered the fourth tied at 46-46.
The Hornets took their first lead in the fourth quarter, pulling ahead briefly, 48-46 before
Nyah Moran hit a three-pointer to give the 'Jacks their lead back. The triple sparked a 9-0 run that NAU used to pull ahead 55-48. The Hornets made it a five point game with three minutes to go, but a three-point play from Glancey helped put the game away, 69-65.
At the free throw line, NAU was 21-of-25 compared to 8-of-10 for the Hornets. The Lumberjacks forced 13 turnovers, scoring 14 points off them. NAU also had 15 second chance points. From the three-point line, NAU was 6-for-30 compared to 7-of-21 for the Hornets. Sacramento State shot 35.7 percent from the field.
