The Lumberjacks are back where they want to be.
After winning all three games in a homestand two weeks ago, the NAU men's basketball team suffered a letdown in its two road games last week.
"We just never really had the energy we had at home the week before," NAU senior guard Cameron Jones said about the two losses. "Our rebounding wasn't that good and that's usually our recipe for success."
The Jacks (14-10 overall, 6-6 Big Sky Conference) dropped their games to Weber State (82-55) and Idaho State (90-88, OT), and their Big Sky regular season championship aspirations are all but gone.
"I'm not even considering that as an option right now," NAU coach Mike Adras said. "There'd have to be a complete collapse by three teams in front of us and I don't see that happening."
Now, hosting Eastern Washington (8-16, 5-7) tonight, all NAU can hope to do now is win its remaining games and let the pieces -- the seedings for the Big Sky tournament -- fall where they may.
The Jacks are in fourth place and hope to secure that spot, or improve it, by winning their four remaining conference games, two of which are the Rolle Activity Center, where they are 9-1. They're 5-9 on the road.
"I'm a little bit flabbergasted by that because I thought we were a pretty good road team," NAU sophomore guard Gabe Rogers said.
They are, at least compared to Eastern Washington which ended its 18-game road losing streak that dated back to last season. That streak ended with its win against Idaho State on Feb. 5.
Like the Jacks, the Eagles' success has come at home. Especially in the two teams' last matchup, where Eastern Washington outrebounded NAU 41-30 in its 72-59 win.
"We gave up 17 offensive rebounds and that equals a lot of points when it translates to second-shot opportunities," Jones said.
Jones, Rogers and Adras all echoed those sentiments as rebounding has often been a make-or-break statistic for NAU this season. There have only been two games (Portland State and Weber State) that the Jacks have won despite being outrebounded.
"You look at the numbers and it certainly has been (our weakness)," Adras said. "It's been very, very poor. I went back to our last seven ballgames and looked at the numbers: Games where we've (rebounded) well, we played well. In games where we haven't, we didn't win."
Eastern Washington, meanwhile, has kept pace with its opponents in terms of rebounding for the season but for a squad without a senior and only four returning letterman, its inexperience has led to some erratic games -- especially on the road.
"I think they go through phases where, the crowd gets into it, the other team's making a run and they've had a hard time slowing the bleeding, so to speak," Adras said. "They looked pretty good at Idaho State -- I watched that game on video -- against Northern Colorado, the road game before, they got off to a great start and didn't play well in the second half.
"They won the last time they went out on the road so I guess they have a little bit more confidence than maybe they did prior to that game. They haven't won many road games and we want that trend to continue."
HONORING ROLLE
Joe Rolle, whose namesake adorns the Jacks' home court this season, passed away Sunday at age 93 and will be honored before the start of tonight's game. The former dean of University Services was NAU's student body president in 1941 and remained involved in Lumberjack affairs over the years.
"For this community and our institution, it will be a very significant night because Dean Rolle wore so many hats here at NAU," Adras said in a release. "The building is named after him and I do not know how you cannot get caught up in the emotional aspect before the game. His presence will be felt."
Jones, who received the Joe Rolle Most Valuable Player Award the last two seasons, and the rest of the Jacks will wear a patch with the initials "JR" in their final two home games.
"To receive anything in his name is an honor," he said. "We are playing in his gym and it is an honor to play here."
Jacob May can be reached at jmay@azdailysun.com or 556-2257.
