Meat of Big Sky play awaits men's basketball in new year

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Northern Colorado notes | Northern Arizona notes

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- Northern Colorado men's basketball has already accomplished a lot this season, but the Bears (12-3, 1-1 Big Sky) know that all of that will be for naught if they don't take care of business over the next two months of Big Sky Conference play. 

That mission starts Saturday night against NAU (6-7, 0-2), whom the Bears have split with (3-3) since joining the Big Sky Conference but have never defeated on the road.

Northern Colorado is coming off an impressive 64-53 victory at TCU on Wednesday night, while the Lumberjacks throttled Northern New Mexico, 113-68, their last time on the floor.

GAME DETAILS
Date: Saturday, Jan. 2
Tip: 6:35 p.m. (MT)
Location: Flagstaff, Ariz.
Venue: Walkup Skydome (7,000)
Radio: 1310 KFKA (Greeley)
Play-by-play: Troy Coverdale
Web stream: 1310kfka.com
Television: BigSkyTV.org
Play-by-play: Mitch Strohman
Analyst: N/A
Sideline: N/A
Live stats: nauathletics.com

THE GAME
Northern Colorado has already won a school-record 12 games before New Year’s, and it will look to continue that momentum in 2010 with a big road conference game Saturday night.

THE SERIES
This will be the 10th meeting between the Bears and the ‘Jacks. Northern Colorado is 3-6 all-time against NAU and 3-3 as a member of the Big Sky. NC has never defeated NAU on the road.

THE COACHES
Tad Boyle (43-61) is in his fourth year with Northern Colorado and fourth year overall as a head coach. Mike Adras (158-136) is in his 11th year at NAU and 11th season overall.