Most of the time, it was the team without the ball.
Eastern Washington, statistically the worst defensive team in Big Sky Conference men's basketball, and Northern Arizona, just one notch above the Eagles defensively, aired it out at the Walkup Skydome for the second straight year.
“We looked like we were guarding on roller skates,” Eastern coach Mike Burns said after the Jacks torched the nets at a 61-percent clip. “They shot the ball well all night long. When they sink 8-of-11 3-pointers and make 33 free throws, it's going to be tough to win a basketball game.”
There were three NBA scouts at the game to watch Eastern's super sophomore Rodney Stuckey. They might have left with more notes about NAU guard Tyrone Bazy.
Bazy, a 6-foot-1 senior, scored a career-high 32 points to overshadow Stuckey, while classmate Steven Sir added 22 on 5-for-5 shooting from 3-point range.
“They're the top-scoring team in the league and we're second, so neither team was going to be bashful,” NAU coach Mike Adras told the Arizona Daily Sun.
NAU appeared to be pulling away when the Jacks led 61-50 with 15:37 to play. But the Eagles crept within 77-73 on a pair of free throws from Matt Penoncello with 8:48 remaining.
The Jacks scored the next 10 points, including a steal and a dunk from Bazy, to take control.
Stuckey finished with his league-leading average of 23 points, but shot just 6-for-21 from the field, including 1-for-10 in the first half.
“A lot of shots that normally fall for him didn't,” Burns said. “That happens on the road. This is the toughest road trip we'll face all year and to come to Flagstaff on the back end of it is very demanding.”
Adras credited Bazy, senior guard Marques Green and sophomore point guard Josh Wilson with slowing down Stuckey.
“We knew he was going to get his points - like coach said, he's a pro,” Bazy said. “Last year he dropped 45 on us here. So me, Josh and Marques came together before the game (and agreed) there was no way we were going to let him get 45 again.
“And we stepped up to the challenge.”
Sports editor Bob Meseroll can be reached at 523-5265 or at sportsdesk@missoulian.com.
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