Women's Basketball set for Monday matchup with Lumberjacks

Monday, January 31

Flagstaff, Ariz.

6 p.m. MT

University of Northern Colorado

Northern Arizona

Photo by: Dean Popejoy

1/30/2022 12:44:00 PM | Women's Basketball

ESPN+LIVE STATS GAME NOTES

By: By Thomas Hoffman, UNCBears.com

GREELEY, Colo. – It'll be defense versus offense in Flagstaff as Northern Colorado takes its third-best defense in the Big Sky to Northern Arizona, the conference's No. 1 offense.

Game Info
Who: at Northern Arizona (9-8, 6-3)
When: January 31 at 6 p.m. MT
Where: Flagstaff, Ariz.
How To Follow: LIVE STREAM | LIVE STATS | UNC_BearsWBB

Opening Tip
Hannah Simental is proving you cannot leave the sophomore from Pueblo, Colorado any room to operate offensively. Heading into Monday's matchup, Simental ranks 30th in the nation in three-point field goal percentage at .419. Simental has also reached double figures in four straight games and 11 of 14 of the contests she's played in this year.

Head coach Kristen Mattio's defense has stood strong this season, allowing just 62.1 points per game since Big Sky play began. The Bears will face the best offense in the conference in NAU on Monday. However, the last time they went up against a potent offense (Southern Utah), UNC held the Thunderbirds to 59 points in regulation.

One thing Mattio's squad has learned to do well in 2021-22 is close out games. All six of the Bears' wins have come when leading at the end of the third quarter. In fact, Northern Colorado is 6-2 in such scenarios.

Don't expect the Lumberjacks to garner many second-chance points. UNC ranks No. 47 in the nation and third in the Big Sky in rebound margin at +6.1.

Last Time Out
Three Bears finished in double figures as Northern Colorado hung tough with the No. 2 team in the Big Sky. In the end, it wasn't enough to run down the Bengals as Idaho State walked away with the 68-56 victory.

Scouting the Lumberjacks
Head coach Loree Payne boasts the conference's best scoring offense in the Big Sky at 72.2 points per game. Since conference play began, NAU ranks a half-point better than Southern Utah and No. 47 in the country.

The Lumberjacks had dropped two straight Big Sky contests to each of the Montana schools before rebounding with wins over Eastern Washington and Portland State.

Much of the offensive success for NAU centers around graduate Khiarica Rasheed. Rasheed dropped 25 in the win over the Vikings and currently ranks fourth in the Big Sky in field goal percentage.

True point guard Regan Schenck is as good as they come. At 5.7 assists per contest, Schenck sits second in the conference. Nationally, the junior ranks in the top-25 in both total assists and assists per game.

History against Northern Arizona
Traditionally, Northern Colorado has enjoyed a bevy of success against the Lumberjacks. UNC owns a 22-9 record over NAU. However, the Bears have dropped four out of its last five versus its fellow 'Northern.'

What's Ahead?
The Bears' road slate finally comes to an end at Portland State on Thursday, February 3. UNC returns to Bank of Colorado Arena on February 5, against Northern Arizona. Tickets can be purchased at UNCBears.com/Tickets.

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