Dec. 3, 2014 Final Stats
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FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - A cold shooting second half plagued the LMU women's basketball team Wednesday evening in Flagstaff, Ariz., as the Lions fell 82-64 to Northern Arizona at the Walkup Skydome.
A slow start for the Lions (2-4) had NAU (4-3) leading 8-4 four minutes into play. The Lumberjacks pushed their lead to seven, 12-5, with 14:40 on the clock, but Leslie Lopez-Wood quickly responded with a three. Back-to-back buckets by Sophie Taylor, followed by a Lopez-Wood steal and fast break layup evened the score at 14-14 with 12:59 to go.
The teams would battle back and forth for the remainder of the period as the first half featured eight lead changes and eight ties. A 6-0 run over the final 1:34 of the half, including a Taylor three and Makenzie Cast layup and free throw, gave the Lions a 34-32 advantage headed into the break.
After hitting 40 percent from the field in the opening period, LMU slowly went cold in the second half, finishing the frame with just nine field goals (9-for-34).
An old-fashion three-point play at 16:06 by Taylor Anderson put LMU on top, 44-41. But the Lions would go cold for more than seven minutes as the Lumberjacks slowly built a double-digit advantage. Anderson would eventually snap the scoreless streak with another layup and free throw with 8:58 to play, but the damage was done.
A Taylor layup with 5:17 to play brought the Lions within five, 59-54, but NAU would close out the game outscoring LMU 23-10 to run away with the 18-point victory.
Taylor was a bright spot for LMU, posting her first career double-double of 15 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Anderson also had a solid night, finishing with 14 points and seven boards. Ben-Jumbo would add 12 points before fouling out of the game with five minutes remaining.
Deanna Johnson was held scoreless for the first time since Nov. 20, 2013 versus Montana, a streak of 27 games. The junior guard went 0-for-8 from the field, finishing without a point for just the third time in her 63 career-LMU games.
Raven Johnson led NAU with 21 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. Four players reached double figures for the Lumberjacks, who hit 46.3 percent from the field, including a hot 58 percent in the second half.
The Lions conclude this two-game road swing on Saturday at Seattle. Tip off from the Redhawks' Connolly Center is scheduled for 2 p.m.
