Men’s Basketball Senior Larson Hopes for Postseason Run
NAU Game Notes versus Portland State (PDF)
By Steven Shaff, NAU Media Relations
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Senior
Nick Larson will play his final regular season game at home at the
Walkup Skydome Saturday against Eastern Washington. But he is
hardly ready for his career to be over and will be looking to help
the Lumberjacks extend their season.
“What is going through my mind is we have to win,”
said Larson after a recent practice. “We have to win to make
the playoffs. They are big for me because they are my last home
games but they are extremely big for the team.”
NAU, which plays against Portland State on Thursday, stands in
sixth place in the Big Sky standings with a half game lead over
Eastern Washington and a one-game lead over Idaho State for the
final Big Sky postseason berth. The Lumberjacks have lost the last
four games, failing to secure a postseason bid after a four-game
winning streak had them at 5-3 in league play. The top six teams
qualify for the Big Sky Tournament.
“We need to make the playoffs and I need to make the
playoffs because I am done,” said Larson.
NAU is making a push to qualify for the Big Sky Tournament after
missing the postseason last season. The Lumberjacks have never
failed to qualify in two consecutive seasons under Mike Adras.
One of the reasons the Lumberjacks are challenging for a
postseason spot has been the play of Larson during his final
campaign.
.
“I am really proud of Nick’s play during his senior
year,” said Head Coach Mike Adras. “He has done what so
many guys have done in their senior years. They just step up and
perform.”
As a senior, the Ventura, Calif., native has seen action in all 24
games with 20 starts while averaging 6.9 points per game and 5.6
rebounds per game. He ranks sixth in the Big Sky in rebounding and
second overall in defensive rebounds in league play. He has
recorded five games in double figures on the season, resetting his
career high for points two times and rebounds three times. He also
recorded his first career double-double with 11 points and 11
rebounds against Northern New Mexico and notched a career-best 20
points against Northern Colorado with eight rebounds. Last week he
had a career-high 12 boards at Idaho State.
“He is somebody that has been in the program for four years
and has seen a lot of basketball,” said Adras. “He
keeps setting new career highs for points and rebounds. He is among
the leaders in the league in defensive rebounding and I don’t
think you would have expected that three years ago out of Nick. It
is really nice to see the development he has made throughout his
career here.”
While Larson, who will graduate with a degree in construction
management in December, hopes to create some lasting memories over
the next few weeks, he has several good ones from his career. He
lists the two Big Sky Championship games among his top moments.
“It would be those two championship games,” said
Larson, who helped Northern Arizona tie for the big Sky regular
season title as a freshman. “The first year we were so close.
That one hurt the most to see Ruben Boykin and Tyrone Bazy and all
the seniors that I looked up to break down after the game. We were
real emotional after that one. It was also fun to play in the Rose
Garden against Portland State too. Last year kinda sucked but we
have a chance this year.”
And that is all Larson and Lumberjacks are hoping for is a chance.
By clinching a berth, NAU will be back in a familiar place having
qualified for 11 of the last 13 Big Sky Tournaments and will then
be one of six teams vying for a berth in the NCAA Championship from
the conference.
Larson could also tie a school record if the Lumberjacks are to
extend the season that far. He has seen action in 112 career games,
the ninth-best total in school history. With three regular season
games remaining and three potential Big Sky postseason games,
Larson could challenge the Ruben Boykin’s school-record mark
with a deep postseason run.
“I played a lot of games and tried to stay healthy,”
said Larson.
Here is hoping he gets to keep playing. The push starts tonight.
