Forced into overtime for the fourth time this season, the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks locked in defensively when they needed it most.
Holding the Northern Colorado Bears (10-10, 3-6 Big Sky) to just two points in the extra five minutes, the Lumberjacks (12-10, 6-3 Big Sky) secured a 62-59 victory Saturday night in Greeley, Colo. Fatoumata Jaiteh scored all five of Northern Arizona’s overtime points, with the game-winner coming off an assist from Regan Schenck with 1:29 left in the game.
The overtime period continued the defensive battle between the teams, with both sides shooting under 35% in the game.
Opening the game with a 14-10 quarter, the Lumberjacks fell behind 6-0 on a pair of three-pointers by the Bears. After starting the game 2-of-3 from behind the arc, the Bears struggled to produce much else from three-point range. Northern Arizona held Northern Colorado to 3-of-18 from outside, well below the Bears’ 34.4% entering the game.
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Never separated by more than six points until midway through the fourth quarter, the Lumberjacks and Bears traded the lead nine times, tied eight times and led for nearly an identical amount of time. Erasing a six-point deficit early on in the fourth, Northern Arizona took the lead with four straight points by Schenck.
While the Bears answered to retake a four-point lead, Schenck drained a three-pointer just before halftime to send the Lumberjacks into halftime down by just one, 27-26.
Coming out of the break on a 6-0 run, Northern Arizona took a five-point lead it held for most of the quarter. A three-pointer by Montana Oltrogge answered a three-point play from Northern Colorado’s Aniah Hall and Jaiteh’s layup kept the Lumberjacks in control before the Bears put together their own 6-0 run into the final minute of the third.
Retaking the lead on Emily Rodabaugh’s perfect cut to the basket to put in an assist from Jaiteh, the Lumberjacks closed the quarter with a four-point lead as Olivia Moran beat the buzzer with a three-pointer off a pass by Schenck.
However, the shot would be Northern Arizona’s final make before a scoreless stretch of nearly four minutes that gave Northern Colorado its biggest lead at 49-42 with 6:33 remaining.
Needing to reignite her team’s offense, Schenck ended the scoreless spell with five straight points in just 24 seconds. After Oltrogge connected on a jumper to tie the game at 49, Nyah Moran put in a layup off a pass from Schenck and Oltrogge drilled a three-pointer from an assist by Rodabaugh to cap off the 12-0 run.
Another three by Oltrogge put the Lumberjacks up 57-51 with 2:00 remaining, but Northern Colorado held Northern Arizona scoreless for the rest of regulation while forcing overtime on a layup by Delaynie Byrne and four free throws by Gabi Fields.
Both teams missed potential game-winners in the final 13 seconds, with Northern Arizona’s stop as time expired sending the Lumberjacks to their fourth overtime game this season and second consecutive following last Saturday’s game against the Eastern Washington Eagles.
Opening overtime with five combined misses from the field, Northern Arizona and Northern Colorado remained tied 57-57 until Jaiteh hit a free throw with 3:27 after coming down with an offensive rebound. Another minute and a half would go by before the next score, as Byrne hit Northern Colorado’s only basket with 1:52 remaining.
The Lumberjacks answered right back, with Jaiteh’s game-winning layup coming just 23 seconds later. A miss by the Bears on their next possession allowed the Lumberjacks to run down the clock, but a pair of missed baskets left Northern Colorado with an opportunity at the game.
However, Fields' drive to the basket against Nyah Moran, and Jaiteh came up short, with the latter grabbing the rebound and hitting a pair of free throws to take a three-point lead. Looking to move up the court quickly, Fields committed an offensive foul as she ran through Schenck to give Northern Arizona the victory.
Oltrogge had a team-high 15 points while adding 10 rebounds for another double-double, and setting a career-high with four steals. Schenck added 14 points and eight assists as she tied the program record with 143 career games played. Schenck also enters next week just eight more assists from matching the program’s all-time record.
Jaiteh finished with 13 points after scoring five in overtime, hitting 4-of-7 from the field and adding six rebounds.
Returning to Flagstaff to face the Montana State Bobcats (15-7, 8-2 Big Sky) and the Montana Lady Griz (10-11, 6-4 Big Sky), the Lumberjacks will look to complete the season sweep against both schools following their victories in Montana in early January. The Bobcats sit atop the conference standings a game and a half ahead of the Lumberjacks and Sacramento State Hornets (15-5, 6-3 Big Sky).
TRACK AND FIELD
The second day of the Northern Arizona University track & field team’s first road trip concluded with a successful finish for both squads.
David Dunlap was the lone competitor for the Lumberjacks at the Texas Tech Open & Multis, running the 200-meter. He finished third in a highly competitive field, with a time of 20.87.
Five athletes competed in the triple jump at the UNM Team Open, with Mitchell Effing winning the event on the men’s side. Effing jumped 15.25 meters to easily take the win. Jack Normand placed second with a jump of 15.03 meters, setting a new personal best.
For the women, Jenna Figueroa was the top competitor, taking fifth place with a jump of 12.19 meters. Kenashalee Kerr placed ninth, jumping 11.88 meters. Brenna Rodriguez earned a new personal best, jumping 11.65 meters and placing 14th.
The Lumberjacks are back in action next week as they return home for the Ron Mann Classic. Competition will take place at the J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome on Friday and Saturday.
