ELLENSBURG, Wash. – Adam Shildmyer scored 12 second-half points and the Crusaders shot 64-percent from the field in the final period as the Northwest Nazarene University men's basketball team opened the season with a 91-77 victory over Chico State University at the Tarp It Wildcat Classic, presented by Quality Inn and Bar 14 Restaurant in Ellensburg.

Shildmyer connected on four-of-five second-half shots and scored 16, joining teammate Justin Parnell who netted a game-high 20 as the Crusaders opened the season with a win for the first time since 2003 and avenged a 2004 season-opening 91-89 overtime loss to the Wildcats, the schools last meeting.

"After the first three minutes of the second half we settled down and took care of the basketball, which is what helped us play from the lead for most of the second half," commented NNU head coach Tim Hills, referring to the Crusaders 11 first half turnovers, coupled with an opening three minute span in the second half where the Crusaders turned it over four times. NNU would finish the game with 19 turnovers, committing just four in the final 17 minutes of play.

"Adam (Shildmyer) really shot it well in the second half and gave us a big lift and Jason (Simmons) was an animal tonight on the boards and did a great job being aggressive on the defensive end against their post players."

Simmons finished tied with Kendall Gielow with a game-high five rebounds and scored eight points in 14 minutes off the bench. Gielow scored 10 points and Tyler Roberts added 11 as four Crusaders reached double-figures.

Justin Argenal led Chico State (0-1) with 15 while Mike Martin and Frank Igbekoyi both scored 13 for the Wildcats who shot 50-percent (29-58) from the floor, but just 63-percent (12-19) from the free throw line.

NNU was 29-of-35 from the line (82.9-percent) as the Crusaders forced the action in the paint throughout the game. Roberts was a perfect 8-for-8 and Simmons scored six of his eight points from the line.