NAU edged by Montana State
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) -- Xavier Blount's steal and layup with just over a minute remaining lifted Montana State over Northern Arizona 74-72 on Saturday night.
Blount finished with 21 points on 8 of 11 shooting. Shawn Reid added 16 and Christian Moon scored 12 to help the Bobcats (8-8, 3-2 Big Sky) snap a 10-game losing streak in Flagstaff.
Blount's short jumper with 2 minutes remaining tied the game, then he stole an inbounds pass near midcourt and scored on an uncontested layup with 1:07 left.
Northern Arizona (5-13, 1-5) had two chances to win in the final minute, but 3-point attempts by James Douglas and Stallon Saldivar were off the mark.
Douglas led the Lumberjacks with 13 points. Durrell Norman and Ephraim Ekanem each scored 10 points for Northern Arizona, which has lost five straight conference games for the first time since the 1995-96 season.