NAU falls to 3-12 with loss to North Dakota

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GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- Quinton Hooker had 20 points, Conner Avants scored 17 as North Dakota beat Northern Arizona 68-63 on Thursday night in a Big Skyi Conference matchup.

Avants added nine rebounds, three steals and two blocked shots. Corey Baldwin scored 10 points for North Dakota (7-6, 2-1 Big Sky).

Sophomore Marcus DeBerry tied his career-high of 19 points on 7-for-12 shooting for the Lumberjacks (3-12, 0-2), including a career-high five 3-pointers. Mike Green had 10 points, and Jordyn Martin added nine points and three rebounds.

Baldwin and Billy Brown each hit a 3-pointer during an 11-1 run that made it 51-45, and the Fighting Hawks led the rest of the way.

Three-point baskets by Green and  DeBerry pulled NAU within two with 42 seconds left, but Geno Crandall hit two free throws 28 seconds later to make it 67-63. JoJo Anderson missed a 3 and DeBerry, after grabbing the offensive rebound, missed another before Hooker made the second of two foul with two seconds remaining.

"When our kids compete and play hard, we compete," said NAU head coach Jack Murphy. "Tonight we played a good North Dakota team and I thought for the most part we did a good job against them. Our low post game has to get better. We must finish plays around the rim."