NAU clobbers Eastern

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Josh Wilson scored 15 points and Cameron Jones added 14 as Northern Arizona pulled away in the second half to beat Eastern Washington 72-49 Friday night.

The Eagles lost for the fifth time in six games after a 6-2 start.

Northern Arizona saw its four-game losing skid come to an end.

Matt Johnson finished with 11 points for the Lumberjacks (4-9, 1-1 Big Sky) while Zarko Comagic had 10 points and a game-high nine rebounds.

Benny Valentine led Eastern Washington (7-7, 1-1) with 13 points while Milan Stanojevec had 11. Brandon Moore had six points and five rebounds.

Northern Arizona led by 11 points with 12:22 remaining in the first half after a 15-2 run, but the Eagles answered with an 18-4 spurt sparked by a pair of Stanojevec 3-pointers and took a 24-22 lead with 6:34 remaining.

Johnson tied it up with a driving layup on the Lumberjacks’ next possession. Jones put his team ahead to stay with a short jumper in the lane with 4:19 left.

The Lumberjacks led 36-32 at halftime and made 63 percent of their field goals (15 of 24) in the second half. They led the Big Sky in shooting percentage coming into the game.

Eastern Washington was just 5 of 23 from the field in the second half and scored just 17 points. The Eagles were held without a field goal for the final 7:57 of the game.

Eastern was outrebounded 33-26 after having a commanding 83-57 advantage in that statistic during the past two games.

The game was Eastern’s second during a three-game, seven-day road trip which concludes Sunday at Sacramento State. Game time is 2:05, which is a change from previously released schedules.

Eastern faces Idaho State at home on Thursday.