Bobcat vs. Lumberjack Basketball
Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2021 8:44 am
Getting started on our game day thread.
WBB Scouting….NAU
Sorry a bit long winded again but for those interested in a bit of pre-game perspective on the WBB game today.
In a separate thread I predicted Idaho, Idaho State and Northern Arizona University to be the top 3 women’s teams in the conference with NAU winning it. So far Idaho State is dominating the conference at 8-0 with the league leading tough tough defense, I don’t think they will be stopped and should carry the season. Idaho is second at 6-2. NAU may still get back to 3rd and may sneak into second if Idaho loses a few games and NAU finishes the season strong.
So what happened to my NAU prediction??? NAU sets at 6-6 overall and 4-4 in the Big Sky. NAU swept both games from Eastern Washington, split with Idaho, split with Montana and were swept by Idaho State. Coached by Loree Payne from Havre and team on the right track improving every year. What’s going on here?
I liked NAU because last year they started no seniors and were tough to beat. Four of the junior starters were recognized in the post season awards so they looked to be very strong this season. A bit of tough luck story for NAU as they lost four of their starters before the first whistle for the new season. Radford, Big Sky Newcomer of the Year, was injured and hasn’t played any with currently no announced timetable to return. Orndoff, one of their best shooters, opted out of the season. Orndoff has a great story if you don’t know it, nice kid, suffered a collapsed lung in 2018-19 season, required surgery and recovered enough to earn a starting role last year…. but due to her past lung challenges she wisely opted out of season for Covid reasons. Malvar, Big Sky Honorable Mention, has also elected to opt out of the season. Bailey, Big Sky Second team, has been performing well in double figures. But a huge loss has been Rasheed, Big Sky First team and pre-season MVP selection. Rasheed was injured and didn’t play their first 7 games. She is working back into the line-up over the last 5 games and averaged about 18 minutes in games against Montana last week...…obviously she will be a force by season’s end….lets hope she doesn’t decide to dominate the games this weekend against MSU.
Even with all of the above turnmoil, NAU leads the league in offense, averaging over 73 PPG. They have 6 players averaging in double figures. Rodabaugh, has stepped up as a sophomore, to average 14 PPG. Nakai at 18 PPG is leading the team, she is a Darian White look alike at 5’7” and a bit more of a 3 point shooter than White. Nakai is a transfer from Reno and has been allowed to play with no year sitting out, go figure. Someone needs to tell me how the NCAA makes a decision like this where Nakai gets to suit up but our transfers have to sit a year….Oh well… just whining.
Tough weekend ahead for the Lady Cats if they can’t play defense and don’t turn up the offense a notch. Good challenge for a young team. Go Cats!
WBB Scouting….NAU
Sorry a bit long winded again but for those interested in a bit of pre-game perspective on the WBB game today.
In a separate thread I predicted Idaho, Idaho State and Northern Arizona University to be the top 3 women’s teams in the conference with NAU winning it. So far Idaho State is dominating the conference at 8-0 with the league leading tough tough defense, I don’t think they will be stopped and should carry the season. Idaho is second at 6-2. NAU may still get back to 3rd and may sneak into second if Idaho loses a few games and NAU finishes the season strong.
So what happened to my NAU prediction??? NAU sets at 6-6 overall and 4-4 in the Big Sky. NAU swept both games from Eastern Washington, split with Idaho, split with Montana and were swept by Idaho State. Coached by Loree Payne from Havre and team on the right track improving every year. What’s going on here?
I liked NAU because last year they started no seniors and were tough to beat. Four of the junior starters were recognized in the post season awards so they looked to be very strong this season. A bit of tough luck story for NAU as they lost four of their starters before the first whistle for the new season. Radford, Big Sky Newcomer of the Year, was injured and hasn’t played any with currently no announced timetable to return. Orndoff, one of their best shooters, opted out of the season. Orndoff has a great story if you don’t know it, nice kid, suffered a collapsed lung in 2018-19 season, required surgery and recovered enough to earn a starting role last year…. but due to her past lung challenges she wisely opted out of season for Covid reasons. Malvar, Big Sky Honorable Mention, has also elected to opt out of the season. Bailey, Big Sky Second team, has been performing well in double figures. But a huge loss has been Rasheed, Big Sky First team and pre-season MVP selection. Rasheed was injured and didn’t play their first 7 games. She is working back into the line-up over the last 5 games and averaged about 18 minutes in games against Montana last week...…obviously she will be a force by season’s end….lets hope she doesn’t decide to dominate the games this weekend against MSU.
Even with all of the above turnmoil, NAU leads the league in offense, averaging over 73 PPG. They have 6 players averaging in double figures. Rodabaugh, has stepped up as a sophomore, to average 14 PPG. Nakai at 18 PPG is leading the team, she is a Darian White look alike at 5’7” and a bit more of a 3 point shooter than White. Nakai is a transfer from Reno and has been allowed to play with no year sitting out, go figure. Someone needs to tell me how the NCAA makes a decision like this where Nakai gets to suit up but our transfers have to sit a year….Oh well… just whining.
Tough weekend ahead for the Lady Cats if they can’t play defense and don’t turn up the offense a notch. Good challenge for a young team. Go Cats!
