The NAU women's basketball team (4-4) will be back in Flagstaff today when they host Cal State Fullerton (3-3) at 2:05 p.m. in the Rolle Activity Center. Fans are encouraged to bring an unwrapped toy for free admission to support local Flagstaff community members in need around the holiday season.
The Lumberjacks have averaged 72 points and 41 rebounds while shooting 44 percent in their home schedule at 4-0, including a championship in the Hilton Garden Inn Thanksgiving Classic last week. NAU has outscored its four home opponents by an average of 16 points per game and has averaged 10 more rebounds per game than their opposition while pulling down 16.8 offensive boards per game. The 4-0 home start for the Lumberjacks is the best season-opening home record since the 2005-06 team started 12-0 at home en route to a Big Sky Championship title.
On Thursday at San Jose State, sophomore Shay May recorded her first-career double-double with career highs of 14 points and 12 rebounds, but NAU committed a season-high 32 turnovers and was outscored 50-34 in the second half as San Jose State recorded a 74-64 win.
Cal State Fullerton is 3-3 after a 73-60 home loss to No. 24 Gonzaga on Friday. The Titans opened the season 3-0, including an 81-64 win at Sacramento State, before a pair of losses last week. Senior Megan Richardson leads the team with 14.8 points per game and senior Lauren Chow averages 9.0 points per game while shooting 42 percent from 3-point range. The Lumberjacks and Titans last met in 2005 during NAU's Thanksgiving tournament, with the Lumberjacks earning a 66-61 win. NAU is undefeated in three all-time meetings with Cal State Fullerton.
The game will be broadcast live on 105.1 FM The Big Talker.
NAU SWIMMING AND DIVING
Swimmers Fi Connell and Kristin Jones and diver Kristy Ardavanis each won two events, but New Mexico State won both relays and eight individual events to claim a 161-138 win over the Lumberjacks on Saturday in Las Cruces. NAU dropped to 5-2 in duals with the loss as the Lobos improved to 2-2.
"We had a bunch of second place finishes and just needed a few more wins today," NAU coach Andy Johns said in a release. "They performed well and we got out-touched after getting the touches last week against Washington State. I felt like the girls raced hard and were tough and we just didn't turn out on the right side."
Jones got the first win of the day for the Lumberjacks, winning the 1000 freestyle in 10 minutes, 38.38 seconds with NAU freshman Caitlin Wright finishing second. Connell would follow with an easy win in the 100 backstroke, winning by nearly two seconds with a season-best time of 56.72. Connell added her second win with another season best winning time in the 200 back in 2:03.81, while Jones followed with a win in 5:09.01 in the 500 free to finish just ahead of teammate Emma Lowther.
Ardavanis dominated yet again in the diving competition, sweeping both the 1-meter and 3-meter events for the fourth time this season. She opened with a winning total of 277.88 on the 3-meter while teammates Kali Lents and Cassie Anderson finished second and third, respectively. Ardavanis then scored 268.28 to win the 1-meter with Lents again finishing second.
NAU will conclude its 2011 competition at the UNLV Winter Invitational Dec. 17-19 in Las Vegas.
Editor's Note: Information in this report was provided by the NAU sports information department.
