Northern Arizona Edges Southeast Missouri in NAU Multiple Team Event Finale
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Southeast Missouri University (SEMO) fought valiantly but ultimately fell to Northern Arizona University (NAU) 79-72 in a closely contested matchup on Wednesday, concluding play in the NAU Multiple Team Event in Flagstaff, Arizona. Despite winning the second half for the second consecutive night, the Redhawks were unable to overcome a strong first-half performance by the Lumberjacks and a late surge in free throws.
Second-Half Rally Falls Short
Braxton Stacker led SEMO with 15 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome NAU’s strong shooting and clutch performance down the stretch. The Redhawks narrowed a 14-point deficit in the second half, creating opportunities to pull within three points on multiple occasions. However, missed free throws proved costly.
“SEMO won the second half for the second-straight night and rallied down the stretch,” according to reports from the event. Despite the late push, NAU managed to score five crucial points in the final 1:03 to secure the victory.
Luke Almodovar and Brendan Terry both drew fouls while scoring layups, but unfortunately missed the subsequent free throws that would have significantly narrowed the gap. Terry’s layup with 1:32 remaining brought the score to 74-70, but NAU responded with key free throws to close out the game.
Lumberjacks Dominate First Half with Efficient Shooting
NAU established a significant lead in the first half, shooting an impressive 56% from the field. They capitalized on 14 of 25 attempts, building a 39-29 advantage at halftime. Ryan Abelman’s jumper with 5:17 left in the first half extended the Lumberjacks’ lead to double digits, 32-21.
SEMO struggled to find its rhythm offensively in the opening stanza, leading only once when Terry converted a split pair of free throws early in the game. The Lumberjacks’ efficient shooting and strong offensive execution proved difficult for the Redhawks to contain.
Key Stats and Individual Performances
The Lumberjacks finished the game shooting 52.8% (28-of-53) from the field, and significantly outscored SEMO at the free-throw line, 18-7. Eleven of NAU’s free throws were made in the second half, proving pivotal in their victory. Abelman led all scorers with a game-high 20 points, with four NAU players reaching double figures.
Stacker’s performance included 6-of-13 shooting from the field, three 3-pointers, and two rebounds. He has now scored in double figures a team-high six times this season and averaged 16.5 points during his two starts in Flagstaff. Terry contributed 6-of-10 shooting and four rebounds, while David Idad added a season-high eight points and four rebounds off the bench.
SEMO demonstrated resilience by outscoring NAU 43-40 in the second half and holding a +10 advantage in points in the paint (48-38). However, these efforts were ultimately not enough to overcome NAU’s strong overall performance.
Looking Ahead
Southeast Missouri will return home to host Lipscomb on November 29th, two days after Thanksgiving. This will be an opportunity for the Redhawks to regroup and build on the positive aspects of their performance in Flagstaff. .
