NAMPA – The Crusaders and the Coyotes ended 2007 on the hardwood Monday night as the Northwest Nazarene University women's basketball team defeated The College of Idaho 79-64 at the Johnson Sports Center in Nampa.

The New Year's Eve battle marked the 37^th meeting between the two Canyon County programs, which dates back to the 1974-75 season, with the Crusaders now holding a 33-4 all-time series lead. The teams have split the last four annual meetings, with each team winning on their home floors.

NNU improved to 7-2 overall and will begin GNAC play on Thursday when they travel to Western Oregon University, while C of I falls to 6-5 overall and will next play at Northwest Christian on Saturday in a Cascade Conference tilt.

The Crusaders were led by Jennifer Williams and Kristen Hein, with Williams leading the offense with 17 points and Hein posting the games only double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. 

Nichole Schutte scored 13 points off the bench and Crusader point guard Mallory Whipple scored eight points, grabbed six rebounds and finished with four assists.

NNU out-rebounded the Coyotes 58 to 26, shot 43-percent (28-64) from the floor and held C of I to just 28-percent (17-59) shooting overall. The Coyotes were just 2-of-16 from the three point arc, but were solid from the free throw line at 77-percent (28-36).

The Crusaders held a 39-19 lead at the half, having held the Coyotes to 17.9-percent (5-28) shooting in the opening 20 minutes and held a 33-13 rebounding edge at the break. However, the Coyotes battled back in the second period, closing to within 12 at 49-37 after a pair of Brianna Hansen free throws with 14:06 left to play.

NNU would respond with an 11-2 run to push the margin to 21 and lead by as many as 26 after a pair of Lindsay Brady free throws with 2:45 remaining. Brady would finish with nine points and six rebounds for the Crusaders.

Whitney Owen and Christon Vander Esch each scored 11 points for the Coyotes, with Vander Esch leading C of I with seven rebounds.

CLARK, Whintey 5-16 9-10 19; VANDER ESCH,Christon 3-13 4-6 11; OWEN, Whitney

2-9 7-10 11; BREWER, Kayla 3-5 0-0 7; HORNER, ShaNae 3-8 1-2 7; BRUCE,

Nicole 0-1 2-2 2; BREWER, Katee 1-4 0-0 2; DUFURRENA, Magen 0-2 2-2 2;

Williams,Jennifer 7-10 3-6 17; Hein,Kristin 7-12 0-0 14; Schutte,Nichole 3-9

7-8 13; Brady,Lindsay 2-10 5-6 9; Whipple,Mallory 3-3 1-2 8; Olds,Janee 2-9

0-0 6; Roggenkamp,Brittney 2-5 0-0 5; Johnson,Beth 1-2 2-2 4; Knudson,Paige

The College of Idaho..........   19   45 -   64

Northwest Nazarene............   39   40 -   79

3-point goals-The College of Idaho 2-16 (BREWER, Kayla 1-3; VANDER

ESCH,Christon 1-4; BREWER, Katee 0-2; WOLFE, Ashley 0-1; OWEN, Whitney 0-1;

CLARK, Whintey 0-5), Northwest Nazarene 5-20 (Olds,Janee 2-7; Knudson,Paige

1-4; Roggenkamp,Brittney 1-4; Whipple,Mallory 1-1; Brady,Lindsay 0-3;

Hein,Kristin 0-1). Fouled out--The College of Idaho-HORNER, ShaNae,

Northwest Nazarene-None. Rebounds-The College of Idaho 26 (OWEN, Whitney 7),

Northwest Nazarene 58 (Hein,Kristin 10). Assists-The College of Idaho 2

(VANDER ESCH,Christon 1; CLARK, Whintey 1), Northwest Nazarene 16

(Whipple,Mallory 4). Total fouls-The College of Idaho 21, Northwest Nazarene