In Boise, Idaho, Northern Arizona showcased a strong performance on Saturday night, securing a 66-53 win over Eastern Washington during the opening round of the Big Sky Conference Tournament. Trenton McLaughlin was pivotal in this victory, contributing 17 points for the Lumberjacks.
McLaughlin made seven out of 19 field goals, successfully hitting three out of ten three-pointers. As the seventh seed, Northern Arizona (18-14) is set to face off against second-seeded Montana in the quarterfinals slated for Sunday. Diego Campisano also played a key role, scoring 16 points and collecting five rebounds, while Jayden Jackson added 13 points and made three steals.
The eighth-seeded Eastern Washington (10-22) saw Mason Williams lead their efforts with 20 points. Andrew Cook helped with nine points, four assists, and two steals during the match.
The turning point of the game occurred late in the first half when Northern Arizona seized the lead with 56 seconds remaining on the clock, holding onto a 34-30 advantage by halftime. McLaughlin had already chalked up 10 points by this time. In the second half, Northern Arizona widened the gap with a decisive 10-0 run, boosting their lead from three points. Campisano contributed significantly in the latter part of the game with an additional nine points after halftime.
