SIR’S 25 POINTS LEADS NORTHERN ARIZONA TO VICTORY OVER MEN’S BASKETBALL

1/13/2007

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Stephen Sir scored a game-high 25 points, including seven three-pointers, and Northern Arizona shot 66.7 percent (32-48) from the floor on the way to a 94-71 victory over Sacramento State in a Big Sky Conference men’s basketball game Saturday evening at the Hornets Nest.

Northern Arizona shot 77.3 percent (17-22) from the floor in the second half, and made each of its last 14 field goal attempts spanning the final 14 minutes of the game. Sacramento State had just cut the NAU lead to four points (54-50) on a jumper from Davon Roberts with 14:34 to play before Sir connected on a three-pointer. That three-pointer began NAU’s run of 14 consecutive made field goals as the Lumberjacks led by at least 10 points during the final 11:29 of the contest.

With the victory, Northern Arizona won for the third time in four games while improving to 9-8 overall and 4-2 in the Big Sky. The defending conference regular season champions completed the season sweep of Sacramento State as NAU defeated the Hornets in Flagstaff, Ariz., earlier this year.

Sacramento State lost its season-high third straight game as the Hornets dropped to 7-11 and 2-4 in the conference. After the team plays its last non-conference game of the season on Tuesday, Jan. 16, at Cal Poly, the Hornets begin a crucial stretch of three consecutive Big Sky home games against Eastern Washington (Jan. 25), Portland State (Jan. 26) and Northern Colorado (Jan. 31).

Sir finished the game shooting 8-of-12 from the floor, 7-of-9 from beyond the three-point arc and 2-of-2 from the free throw line. Not only did NAU shoot 66.7 percent from the floor, but the team also shot a blistering 73.3 percent (11-15) from beyond the arc. Sir was one of five Lumberjacks in double figures, comprised of Ryan McCurdy (18 points, 7-of-9 shooting, game-high 13 rebounds), Tyrone Bazy (15), Nathan Geiser (11) and Ruben Boykin Jr. (10).

The game remained close for nearly the entire first half before NAU closed on a 7-2 run to take a 42-32 halftime lead. The Lumberjacks led for the final 36:20 of the game as Sacramento State’s last lead was 9-8 with 16:34 left in the first half.

Sacramento State shot 36.8 percent (25-68) from the field and 33.3 percent (5-15) from beyond the arc. Senior Haron Hargrave (19 points, two steals), junior Angel Alamo (18 points, nine rebounds) and senior Alex Bausley (10 points, four rebounds) combined for 47 of the team’s 71 points. Junior Justin Williams added four points, seven rebounds and a blocked shot.

Sacramento State junior Davon Roberts finished with seven points and three rebounds in 13 minutes, and extended his streak of consecutive field goals made to 13. In fact, the forward has been perfect from the field in each of his last seven games, and has not missed since Dec. 9 at Long Beach State.

The Hornets have now let two consecutive opponents shoot 66.7 percent from the floor as Weber State accomplished the feat in Thursday’s victory over Sacramento State in Ogden, Utah. The Hornets have forced the opposition into 20.8 turnovers per game this season, but have now allowed opponents to shoot 52.6 percent from the field.

The Hornets’ game on Tuesday against Cal Poly will mark the team’s last game on the road until a game at Idaho State on Feb. 3.