Women’s Basketball Hosts Annual Thanksgiving Classic

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – After a five-game road trip to open the year, Northern Arizona women’s basketball will play its first home games this weekend hosting its annual Thanksgiving Classic at the Rolle Activity Center on Friday, November 27 and Saturday, November 28. The Lumberjacks face Siena at 6:35 p.m. after Belmont and Oregon State square off at 4:05 p.m.

NAU (0-5) suffered its worst loss of the season against New Mexico on Tuesday falling by 32 points. New Mexico opened the game on a 12-0 run, and the Lumberjacks were unable to recover from the early deficit.

The NAU Classic closes on Saturday with the consolation game scheduled for 2:05 p.m. and the championship game slated for 4:35 p.m.

LAST WEEK: UMKC & BALL STATE
Northern Arizona women's basketball led for 39 minutes before surrendering its lead with 39:30 left on the clock in the Lumberjacks 59-58 loss to UMKC last Thursday. After NAU's Amy Patton tied the score at 58-58, UMKC's LeAndra Thomas hit a free-throw with 16 seconds left to put the Kangaroos up one. Patton was fouled with one second left on the clock, but missed the front end of a one-and-one to give UMKC the last second victory. The Lumberjacks dropped another close game on Saturday with a 74-69 loss to Ball State at Worthen Arena. The Lumberjacks last two games have been decided by a combined six points. Patton led NAU with 26 points off the bench, her second game this season with 25 points or more.

THIS WEEK: SIENA, BELMONT, OREGON STATE
The Lumberjacks play Siena on Friday, November 27 at 6:35 p.m. and will see either Belmont or Oregon State on Saturday. The winners of Friday’s games will meet in the championship on Saturday at 4:35 p.m. preceded by the consolation game at 2:05 p.m.

MULTIMEDIA
Live stats will be available for all four games this weekend. This weekend's games will not be televised, but Siena and Oregon State will have radio available. Those wishing to listen to those broacasts can visit www.sienasaints.com and www.osubeavers.com.  Webcasting will also be provided for NAU games.  Go to www.bigskytv.org for the game listing.

SCOUTING SIENA
Siena is 0-3 this year with losses at Illinois (85-53), and at Wagner (63-55) along with a home loss to Eastern Michigan (77-55). Siena is led by Allie Lindemann and Serena Moore who average 12.7 and 12.0 points-per-game, respectively. The Saints are shooting 37.6-percent on the year and averaging 54.3 points-per-game. Siena is allowing 75.0 points-per-game.

SCOUTING BELMONT
Belmont is 3-0 this fall with victories over Central Arkansas (85-76), at Tennessee-Martin (56-46) and Alabama in overtime (69-67). Belmont has four starters averaging over 30 minutes a game with three averaging double figures: Haley Nelson (18.0 ppg), Amber Rockwell (17.0 ppg) and Shaunda Strayhorn (10.7 ppg). Nelson is also averaging 16.7 rebounds-per-game. Belmont has used the same starting lineup in all three of its games shooting 38.3-percent on the year and putting up 70.0 points-per-game.

SCOUTING OREGON STATE
Oregon State is 2-1 this season opening up at home with a 71-61 win over Caly Poly. The Beavers fell 49-32 at Houston, but bounced back to defeat Houston Baptist 70-42. Oregon State is 1-0 at home this year and 1-1 on the road. The Beavers are led by Kirsten Tilleman’s 17.7 ppg and Talisa Rhea’s 10.7 ppg. Tilleman averages a team-high 9.7 rebounds-per-game. Oregon State has used the same starting lineup in all three games shooting 44.2-percent from the field while averaging 57.7 points-per-game, 7.7 more than its opponents.

FIVE IN TWELVE
The Lumberjacks have played its first five games in only a 12-day span. After this weekend, NAU will have played seven games in 16 days, its most grueling stretch this season.

LINEUP SHUFFLE
Through five games, NAU has used four different starting lineups. Seven different players have earned starts while six are averaging more than 20 minutes-per-game.

STREAK SNAPPED
The Lumberjacks four-game streak shooting over 40-percent from the field was snapped on Tuesday against New Mexico. NAU shot a season-low 26.8-percent and scored just 40 points, also its lowest number on the year.

SPAICH DELIVERS
Junior forward Melissa Spaich totaled a career-high 10 points off the bench and was perfect from the field (3-3) and foul line (3-3). She added in two rebounds and a career-high two blocks during 13 minutes of play.

PATTON ON TOP
Freshman guard Amy Patton is leading the Big Sky Conference in scoring (20.8 points-per-game) and rebounding (8.0 rebounds-per-game). She is the only freshman in the top 10 in scoring. Patton has scored in double-figures in all but one game this year with a season-high 29 points against UC Riverside and 26 points against Ball State.

HOISINGTON STAYING SHARP
Junior forward Lauren Hoisington is leading the Big Sky Conference in field-goal percentage this year shooting 58.6-percent from the field. She had a season-high 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field against UMKC earlier this year. Hoisington is 16th in the Big Sky in scoring.

CHANGE IS GOOD
Through five games, the Lumberjacks are averaging 59.4 points-per-game opposed to 54.2 points-per-game NAU averaged through five games a season ago. NAU finished the 2008-09 season averaging 60.4 points-per-game.

AMBITIOUS SCHEDULING
The Lumberjacks will play their first five games away from Flagstaff with nine of their 13 non-conference games on the road. The challenging schedule includes matchups against Pepperdine (WAC), Ball State (MAC), New Mexico (Mountain West), Arkansas State (Sun Belt), UNLV (Mountain West), and possibly Oregon State (Pac-10) at the NAU Thanksgiving Classic. Ball State received votes in the 2009 USA TODAY/ESPN Top 25 Preseason Coaches' Poll.