NAU can regain sole possession of first place with a win over the Wildcats.
The Big Sky Conference's two hottest men's basketball teams will rumble today when NAU takes the court against Weber State at the Dee Events Center in Ogden, Utah.
Defending Big Sky tournament champion Weber State (10-8 overall, 5-1), moved into a tie for first in league standings with the Lumberjacks (13-6, 5-1) by virtue of Wednesday's 69-56 homecourt win over a struggling Sacramento State team.
The Wildcats, who swept NAU in three games last season, including the league tourney final, come into today's game winners of five straight and eight of their last 10.
NAU, which shared the league's regular-season title with WSU last year, has won four in a row and eight of its last 10.
Weber State opened league play with a 55-52 loss at Northern Colorado, but answered with a five point homecourt win over Portland State -- NAU's sole league loss this season came to PSU -- and a convincing 10-point win over visiting Eastern Washington two days later.
The Wildcats stayed hot on their trip to Montana, beating Montana State and Montana by a point each.
Versus Montana, the Wildcats were outscored in the second half and outrebounded overall, but rallied to win 68-67.
"We're looking at a team that's feeling very good about themselves right now," NAU coach Mike Adras said of WSU.
Wildcats senior guard Dezmon Harris carried the load on the road trip, averaging 22 points per game.
The former junior college transfer averaged 18.3 points per game versus NAU last year.
"He got off to a slow start this year, but he's really starting to pick it up in Big Sky play," Adras said of Harris, who's fourth in scoring in league games with 16.6 points per contest. "He's still dangerous beating you off the high pick and roll play, but now he's sticking outside shots with a lot more success.
"That makes him even tougher because you really want to play him a driver, but now he's sticking outside shots on you, so you don't know how to defend the guy."
Harris, along with fellow guard Juan Pablo Silveira, were able to penetrate into the lane for short jumpers at will in all three games last season.
Adras said while his team struggled with defending the drive last season, the players mainly responsible for stopping Harris's and Silveira's incursions into the lane have graduated.
"(Harris and Silveira) drove Steve Sir, Tyrone Bazy and Ruben Boykin to death last year," Adras said. "We didn't defend their dribble penetration very well, but I think we're a much better defensive team this year.
"I look forward to hopefully showing that (today)."
Overall, NAU leads league teams in defensive field-goal percentage (41.8). It's fourth during league play at 43.2 percent.
The Wildcats will also look for production from 6-foot-9 forward Arturas Valeika.
Valeika, who averaged 13 points per game and 10 1/2 rebounds per game during the Montana trip, has the height to match NAU posts Kyle Landry (16.9 ppg, 8.9 rpg) and Ryan McCurdy (7.9 ppg, 7.2 rpg) down low, he's much more comfortable on the wing.
"He wants to shoot outside shots, but they know, and he knows, they need (an inside scoring and defensive presence)," Adras said.
Steve Panos (6-9, 230) will also try to defend the low post.
Adras said while both players are tall enough to contest shots, they haven't shown the kind of toughness it will take to move his big men off the block.
"I think it's something we can attack," he said. "Valeika is tall, but he's not the strongest guy. Panos has good height too, but he's not the most physical guy."
The Big Sky Conference's two hottest men's basketball teams will rumble today when NAU takes the court against Weber State at the Dee Events Center in Ogden, Utah.
Defending Big Sky tournament champion Weber State (10-8 overall, 5-1), moved into a tie for first in league standings with the Lumberjacks (13-6, 5-1) by virtue of Wednesday's 69-56 homecourt win over a struggling Sacramento State team.
The Wildcats, who swept NAU in three games last season, including the league tourney final, come into today's game winners of five straight and eight of their last 10.
NAU, which shared the league's regular-season title with WSU last year, has won four in a row and eight of its last 10.
Weber State opened league play with a 55-52 loss at Northern Colorado, but answered with a five point homecourt win over Portland State -- NAU's sole league loss this season came to PSU -- and a convincing 10-point win over visiting Eastern Washington two days later.
The Wildcats stayed hot on their trip to Montana, beating Montana State and Montana by a point each.
Versus Montana, the Wildcats were outscored in the second half and outrebounded overall, but rallied to win 68-67.
"We're looking at a team that's feeling very good about themselves right now," NAU coach Mike Adras said of WSU.
Wildcats senior guard Dezmon Harris carried the load on the road trip, averaging 22 points per game.
The former junior college transfer averaged 18.3 points per game versus NAU last year.
"He got off to a slow start this year, but he's really starting to pick it up in Big Sky play," Adras said of Harris, who's fourth in scoring in league games with 16.6 points per contest. "He's still dangerous beating you off the high pick and roll play, but now he's sticking outside shots with a lot more success.
"That makes him even tougher because you really want to play him a driver, but now he's sticking outside shots on you, so you don't know how to defend the guy."
Harris, along with fellow guard Juan Pablo Silveira, were able to penetrate into the lane for short jumpers at will in all three games last season.
Adras said while his team struggled with defending the drive last season, the players mainly responsible for stopping Harris's and Silveira's incursions into the lane have graduated.
"(Harris and Silveira) drove Steve Sir, Tyrone Bazy and Ruben Boykin to death last year," Adras said. "We didn't defend their dribble penetration very well, but I think we're a much better defensive team this year.
"I look forward to hopefully showing that (today)."
Overall, NAU leads league teams in defensive field-goal percentage (41.8). It's fourth during league play at 43.2 percent.
The Wildcats will also look for production from 6-foot-9 forward Arturas Valeika.
Valeika, who averaged 13 points per game and 10 1/2 rebounds per game during the Montana trip, has the height to match NAU posts Kyle Landry (16.9 ppg, 8.9 rpg) and Ryan McCurdy (7.9 ppg, 7.2 rpg) down low, he's much more comfortable on the wing.
"He wants to shoot outside shots, but they know, and he knows, they need (an inside scoring and defensive presence)," Adras said.
Steve Panos (6-9, 230) will also try to defend the low post.
Adras said while both players are tall enough to contest shots, they haven't shown the kind of toughness it will take to move his big men off the block.
"I think it's something we can attack," he said. "Valeika is tall, but he's not the strongest guy. Panos has good height too, but he's not the most physical guy."
