365betÌåÓýÔÚÏßÊÀ½ç±­

Sophie Glancey had another productive game Wednesday for the Northern Arizona women’s basketball team.

That’s become a trend in the forward’s second season. And the Lumberjacks are expecting it to continue.

Northern Arizona defeated Pacific 96-65 at Rolle Activity Center, running away with the victory to move to 5-3 (0-0 Big Sky) on the season. Glancey put up a team-high 18 points, along with seven rebounds and a block.

She battled throughout the game with Tigers� forward Elizabeth Elliott in the paint. It’s the type of challenge Glancey has begun to enjoy in her sophomore year.

“It’s super fun. It think it holds me to a higher standard and I would assume it holds her to a high standard too, so it’s fun to battle with someone as good as she is,� she said.

She added: “My teammates were talking to me, like, ‘I’m looking for you.� Or whatever play we were running gave me great looks in the key. And that’s obviously where I’m most comfortable being, so it’s a combination of all those things.�

Through eight games, Glancey has averaged a team-high 12.3 points, along with 5.1 rebounds -- second-best on the squad -- and a block per game. She’s started all eight contests.

Her best offensive performance of her career came just a couple games before. She scored a personal-best 26 points in a victory over Youngstown State on Nov. 25.

To get to this point has been a bit of a dream for her, too.

In the preseason, Glancey recalled being a young player looking up to Big Sky Conference women’s athletes. She grew up in Boise, Idaho, which traditionally hosts the conference postseason tournament in March.

“I remember going and thinking, ‘Maybe I’ll get to play here,’� she said.

Last year, the Lumberjacks made it all the way to the conference championship game, and Glancey was a major factor.

As a freshman, she started many of the games throughout the season and was a contributor all year. One of her standout moments came in the semifinal round. She scored 13 points and pulled down 10 rebounds in a 74-57 win over Eastern Washington.

Even with a successful first campaign, Glancey knows she could have performed even better. She dealt with an injury to her arm in the and wore a brace on her hand in the latter part of the 2022-23 campaign.

“It’s so nice. Having two hands has been the best thing about my season so far,� she said, laughing.

Coach Loree Payne agreed.

“I think she would have been a very good and high candidate for freshman of the year had she been healthy all year,� Payne said. “She’s one of the best, if not the best, post player in the conference, and it’s exciting to see her kind of put together games and build her confidence because she’s tough. She’s going to be a force to reckon with, especially in conference play.�

Glancey’s production has helped the team in several ways, not just in her own stats.

“The chemistry between our guards and our posts has significantly gotten better too. I feel like if we have a dominant post and shooters, it’s really tough to take away both,� Payne said.

There’s still learning moments. She started some last year, but was not often looked at to be one of the Lumberjacks� top players on a nightly basis.

Now, assuming she stays healthy and productive, Glancey will be relied upon heavily.

It’s a challenge, but one she’s happy to take on, especially now that she’s grown as a player.

“It helps that I know what to expect this year, having a year of experience. It’s been super helpful to me to know the game, know the level that I’m playing at, and it’s been really fun,� Glancey said. “I would say my confidence is going up, and knowing what my game is, even with shooting outside a little bit more, confidence in my shot and my role on the team.�