For Lumberjack fans everywhere the recent success of NAU’s men’s and women’s basketball teams must seem like a lifetime ago. The men have made a trip to the Big Sky Championship game three years in a row. The women won the Big Sky during the ‘05-’06 season and made a trip to the NCAA Tournament.

This season however has been nothing short of a complete disaster so far. The men and women have combined for a stout six wins and 19 losses. The last Lumberjack victory for either team was Dec. 16 when the women just got by UKMC 52-49 in Flagstaff. The men are currently on their second four game losing streak of the season after blowing a double digit lead to Northern Colorado in their Big Sky opener. Things do not look like they will improve before the season ends.

The men do not have a No. 1 scorer or someone who can take charge when needed and carry this team to victory. You know, a Kyle Landry  type player. Senior Matt Johnson led the team in scoring going into the UNC game averaging 11 points per game. Senior guard Josh Wilson leads the team in assists and turnovers. Sophomore Shane Johannsen has been a bright spot even scoring 15 points before fouling out against Northern Colorado. But Johannsen alone cannot carry this team as everybody else has regressed from last season, isn’t that right Nick Larson? This conference season is going to be rough for the Jacks as I do not think they will win more than four of their 16 conference games. Thank god for Sacramento State.

As for the women, they will go through another rough Big Sky season. The Lady Jacks did not even play like an NCAA team when this season started. They could not even got the ball up court through a half court press, and were not even close to running an efficient offense. Now they are 3-10 heading into Big Sky play, but are currently playing better than the first few games of the season. Lauren Hoisington leads the team with 11 points per game and is the only player averaging double figures. The women will play better as the season goes on, but I would put their Big Sky win total around three games.

The scariest fact of all so far is that neither team has registered a win on the road. The women beat Hawaii on a neutral court, and right now both teams are a combined 0-13 in opponent arenas. I hope I am wrong but I would not be surprised if neither team won a game away from Flagstaff this season.

Is their time for these teams to turn things around? of course. But I do not see that happening until next season.