by Cody Bashore, NAU Athletic Communications
PHOENIX, Ariz. (December 9, 2020) – Playing their third game on the road in the past five days, the Northern Arizona University women’s basketball team fell to the Grand Canyon Lopes Wednesday night in Phoenix.
With the Lopes entering the day forcing nearly 28 turnovers a game, the Lumberjacks worked through the pressure to take an 11-point lead midway through the third quarter. However, a cold shooting stretch in the fourth slowed NAU’s offensive output and Grand Canyon pushed ahead for a 66-58 victory.
Leading by five at the break, the Lumberjacks pushed it to 11 thanks to a pair of three-pointers by sophomore Emily Rodabaugh and senior Jacey Bailey. Senior JJ Nakai (Navajo) capped off the 8-0 run with a layup off an assist by junior Regan Schenck, but the Lopes battled back to trail by just six entering the final quarter.
A cold shooting stretch, coupled with Grand Canyon’s ability to create turnovers, proved to be too much for NAU to overcome down the stretch. An 8-0 run for the Lopes gave the home team its first lead of the game before Shenck hit a layup to tie the score again at 51-51.
An 11-0 run for Grand Canyon over the next six minutes pushed the Lopes ahead for the final time, with the Lumberjacks trimming it down to a seven-point deficit twice in the final minute.
Bailey led the Lumberjacks with 16 points and 15 rebounds, her second consecutive double-double following her 14 points and 10 rebounds on Sunday at Eastern Washington. Nakai reached double figures yet again with 13 points and five rebounds, while Schenck and Rodabaugh each chipped in nine points. Senior Miki’ala Maio led the Lumberjacks with five assists, adding to her seven points and six rebounds.
The teams traded the lead in the opening minutes before a three from Rodabaugh and a layup from Bailey, both off of Grand Canyon turnovers, allowed NAU to take control through the third quarter.
Coming within one twice late in the second, Grand Canyon could not get over the hump as NAU answered each time. Following a pair of Grand Canyon free throws with 2:29 before the break, Nakai drove into the lane for a layup and Bailey turned a Lopes’ turnover into three points.
A pair of free throws for Rodabaugh and a layup from Grand Canyon came in the closing 30 seconds, with NAU taking a 31-25 advantage into halftime.
Now 3-2 overall and 2-0 in the Big Sky Conference, the Lumberjacks will be off for the next week as they prepare for their first home game of the season on Dec. 17 against the UTEP Miners. Currently 3-0 this season, the Miners will travel to Logan, Utah to face the Utah State Aggies this weekend before arriving in Flagstaff.
