‘We couldn’t click on offense or defense’: Northern Arizona rolls past cold-shooting Idaho 72-50

MOSCOW, Idaho – No improbable shot was going to beat Northern Arizona this time.

The Lumberjacks powered their way Saturday to a 72-50 win over Idaho, one week after Portland State beat NAU at the buzzer with a court-length pass and tap-in.

The outcome did not change the Big Sky Conference standings. NAU remains in 10th place (8-21 overall and 4-12), and Idaho continues in ninth (10-18, 4-11).

Idaho connected on just 3 of 20 3-point attempts, and the Lumberjacks’ defense swarmed the Big Sky’s third-leading scorer, Divant’e Moffitt, holding the Vandals guard to two points.

“It was one of those nights where we couldn’t click on offense or defense,” Idaho’s Dominique Ford said. “It just wasn’t our night.”

Ford scored 16 points while hitting all three of Idaho’s 3-pointers.

“We weren’t playing for each other,” Ford said. “Definitely in Division I you have to play defense.”

Ford said “panic mode” set in for Idaho as NAU built a 37-24 halftime lead.

Idaho had lost just 73-66 to conference-leading Eastern Washington on Feb. 11 and overcame Northern Colorado 84-82 on Thursday.

“From playing Eastern Washington close to beating Northern Colorado to getting blown out by 20 to the worst team in the conference – it’s a reality check,” Ford said. “You are never on top of the world until you win it all.”

The Big Sky’s second-leading scorer, Idaho’s Isaac Jones, had a game-high 22 points and 13 rebounds. But NAU received balanced scoring from Nik Mains, 14 points; Xavier Fuller, 12; Trenton McLaughlin, nine; Carson Towt, eight; and Jalen Cone and Jack Wistroll, seven apiece.

“A whole lot of credit to Northern Arizona,” Idaho coach Zac Claus said. “They did a really nice job moving the ball, sharing the ball and getting quality looks.”

NAU shot 52.6% (30 of 57) from the field and Idaho was 19 of 51 (37.3%).

The Vandals moved Jones from his customary spot in the low post out farther in the lane.

“We were trying to get him in space to attack off the dribble,” Claus said.

It worked, but NAU did almost everything else well on defense, particularly getting back against the Vandals and preventing Moffitt and his teammates from running.

“They did a really nice job of corralling him,” Claus said.

After Fuller hit a turnaround jumper to give the Lumberjacks a 47-33 lead right after the 5-minute media timeout in the second half, Idaho had a short rally. Ford banked in a jump shot, Trey Smith followed with another and Ford hit a 3-pointer with 7 seconds left on the shot clock. That cut NAU’s lead to 47-40 and prompted a timeout with 13:20 to play.

The Lumberjacks responded with Towt’s dunk and went on a 10-2 run to put the game out of reach.

After playing so resolutely from behind against Northern Colorado , Idaho could not muster a similar effort .

“I don’t have an answer for it,” Claus said. … “Some days and nights are not yours, unfortunately.”