Nau Takes Win Streak On The Road

Northern Arizona, riding an eight-game winning streak, looks to stretch an already commanding lead in the Big Sky Conference, while Idaho State, Montana and Montana State battle for second place.

The Lumberjacks (14-3 overall, 7-0 Big Sky) warmed up for this Saturday’s invasion of Cal State-Northridge (8-9, 4-3) by holding off visiting Southern Utah 61-58 Tuesday in a non-conference clash.

Andrew Mavis led NAU with 15 points and sank two crucial 3-point goals late in the game. The ‘Jacks had led 36-27 at halftime, but fell behind 48-46 before Mavis began hitting from outside to rally the Flagstaff squad.

Last Saturday, NAU kept its conference record unblemished by downing Idaho State 78-59, in Pocatello.

“We’re excited about what we have done so far, but the league season isn’t half over and five of our last nine games are on the road,” cautioned coach Ben Howland.

This Saturday’s game on the Matadors’ home court will mark the ‘Jacks first visit to Northridge with both schools being Big Sky Conference members. League-newcomer Northridge, a lackluster 1-7 on the road, is 7-2 at home.

NAU leads the conference in scoring (78.8 points per game), defense (allowing 66.9 ppg), field-goal percentage (51.14), 3-point shooting (41.3 percent), margin of victory (11.8 points) and foul shooting (72.4 percent).

The ‘Jacks also boast Charles Thomas, the Big Sky’s best point guard with 5.6 assists and 2.9 steals an outing to go with his 14.4 ppg.

“Charles Thomas continues to be the main cog for us,” Howland said. “He leads us on offense and defense and played well again in Pocatello.”

Against the Bengals, the senior ballhandler had 20 points, 15 of them in a breakaway second half.

ISU (9-7, 5-3) plays Montana (13-8, 5-4) in Missoula on Friday. The Bengals then must trek to Montana State the next night.

“We want to win the first game. If we lose it, our backs are against the wall,” said ISU’s Herb Williams, who hopes to jockey for a second-place finish and a first-round bye in March’s Big Sky tournament.

“It’s a tough trip getting from Missoula to Bozeman … (and) Montana has won five straight and they are still without the big guy (6-10 senior Brent Smith).”

The Grizzlies’ hope of running their league winning streak to six games was lost Wednesday night when they were defeated 72-68 by Weber State (9-9, 5-4).

The Wildcats own the Big Sky’s top scorer in Player of the Week Damien Baskerville (18.4 ppg), and also start the league’s third-best point producer, Alex Fisher (17.9 ppg). However, Weber’s defense - allowing 80.8 ppg - is the conference’s worst.