ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- The Northern Arizona women's basketball team used a strong defensive performance in attempt to offset their struggles on the other end of the court, but ultimately could not overcome a lengthy scoring drought to end the first half on Sunday.
The Lumberjacks went scoreless for the final 9:44 of the first half and despite holding New Mexico to 32.7 percent from the field, they fell to 4-7 with a 56-37 loss to the Lobos.
"I'm very proud of the way we've been playing defense this year but we've been talking for weeks about finishing our defense with a rebound," said head coach Sue Darling. "That's the next step for this team. We've come a long way but we still have a long way to go. We would've liked to gone into a break with a win, but this is a good time for a break for this team. We can get refreshed and come back ready to attack Big Sky play."
Although the Lumberjacks played solid defense, multiple opportunities hurt NAU as New Mexico held a 50-32 advantage on the glass including grabbing 17 offensive rebounds. NAU did manage to hold an opponent to a sub-.350 field goal percentage for the seventh time in 11 games this season and under 60 points for the sixth time.
NAU started the game well offensively, scoring seven of the first nine points. It remained ahead on the scoreboard for the first eight minutes until New Mexico tied the game at 9-9. With the score tied at 11-11, junior Mariah Willadsen's jumper from the free throw line put NAU back in front, 13-11, with 9:44 before the half. However, the Lumberjacks missed their next seven shots as they would go the remainder of the half scoreless allowing the Lobos to use a 12-0 run to take a 23-13 halftime lead.
Fourteen turnovers leading to a 15-2 edge in points off turnovers in the first half also hindered the Lumberjacks offensively despite NAU limiting New Mexico to a 25.7 percent first half field goal percentage.
Consecutive layups by junior Monique Mulder and sophomore Brittani Lusain looked to be a spark for the 'Jacks to open the second half but the Lobos' lead would grow to 40-21 with 9:27 to play. NAU scored the next six points to trim its deficit to 13 points before Willadsen's reverse layup brought the Lumberjacks within 10 at 43-33 with under two minutes remaining. New Mexico would proceed to go 10-of-12 from the free throw line to close the game to prevent NAU from getting any closer.
The 37 points marked a season-low for the Lumberjacks as they also shot a season-low 27.3 percent from the field. NAU took care of the ball better in the second half, turning it over just four times in the final 20 minutes while forcing 11 of the Lobos' 19 turnovers for the game after halftime.
Willadsen finished with a season-best 13 points as the only player on either team in double-figures. Lusain posted nine points behind her. Senior Raven Anderson grabbed six rebounds, equaling senior Erikka Banks for the team-lead, and also added a season-high three blocks and three steals.
