NAMPA, Idaho – Opening the second half with an 18-0 scoring run, the Northwest Nazarene University men's basketball team defeated Western Oregon University 84-58 in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference matinee on Saturday in Nampa.

Taking a slim 42-37 lead to the locker room at the half, the Crusaders exploded to start the second period, hitting four three-pointers and reeling off 18 straight in the first five and a half minutes that included a pair of triples and two free throws by Justin Parnell. 

Parnell finished with a game-high 14 points and six assists to push the Crusaders to 5-2 in conference play and 13-3 overall.

“The kids are doing a nice job of playing together and working for defensive stops,” commented NNU head coach Tim Hills.  “Credit coach Brandon Rinta with the job he's doing with them on defense.  He leads our defense and I chime in with my two-cents on occasion and the kids are really responding to what we are asking of them.”

A defensive effort that held Western Oregon (2-6 GNAC, 9-8) to 21 second half points and out-rebounded the Wolves 38-35.

“Scott (Helpenstell) is an animal on the glass,” Hills added.  “He really battled tonight against their size and earned all nine of those boards.”

Helpenstell finished with a game-high nine rebounds, six points and three blocked shots.  Also reaching double-figures for the Crusaders were Kendall Gielow with 13 and Louie Beech and Joel Ryman with 10 apiece.  Crusader point guard Tyler Roberts finished with eight points, six assists and five rebounds.

Travis Kuhns led the Woves with 12 points and Liam Hughes grabbed a team-best seven rebounds.

WOU shot 40.7-percent (22-54) from the floor and opened the game going 5-for-10 from the three-point line in the first half, however the visitors cooled off in the second half, finishing 6-of-19 from the arc for 31-percent.

NNU hit on 12-of-27 three-pointers, went a perfect 20-for-20 from the free throw line and committed just 11 turnovers in the home win, their third in a row.

The Crusaders will travel to Alaska Fairbanks and Alaska Anchorage next weekend for a pair of GNAC counters in Alaska.

Western Oregon vs Northwest Nazarene
1/26/08 2pm at Nampa,Idaho
At Nampa,Idaho
NORTHWEST NAZARENE 84, WESTERN OREGON 58
WESTERN OREGON (2-6 GNAC, 9-8)
Kuhns,Travis 4-9 2-2 12; Kelly,Sam 3-8 0-0 8; McLaughlin,Mike 3-5 1-2 7;
Johnson,Dane 3-8 0-1 7; Krichevsky,Brad 1-7 4-4 7; Ratcliff,Stanley 3-4 0-0
6; Hughes,Liam 3-6 0-0 6; Hoffman,Keith 1-1 1-2 3; Arrington,Adonal 1-5 0-0
2; Adams, Isaiah 0-0 0-0 0; Blok,Tyler 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 22-54 8-11 58.
NORTHWEST NAZARENE (5-2 GNAC, 13-3)
Parnell,Justin 4-9 4-4 14; Gielow,Kendall 5-11 2-2 13; Ryman,Joel 4-8 0-0
10; Beech,Louie 4-6 0-0 10; Simmons,Jason 2-4 4-4 8; Shildmyer,Adam 2-3 2-2
8; Roberts,Tyler 2-6 2-2 8; Helpenstell,Scott 1-9 4-4 6; Burk,Tippy 1-2 0-0
3; Barkdoll,Brian 1-4 0-0 2; Mgebroff,Matt 0-2 2-2 2; McGovert,Morgan 0-2
0-0 0; Grewe,Joe 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 26-67 20-20 84.
Western Oregon................   37   21  -   58
Northwest Nazarene............   42   42  -   84
3-point goals-Western Oregon 6-19 (Kelly,Sam 2-4; Kuhns,Travis 2-5;
Johnson,Dane 1-2; Krichevsky,Brad 1-4; Blok,Tyler 0-1; Hughes,Liam 0-1;
Ratcliff,Stanley 0-1; McLaughlin,Mike 0-1), Northwest Nazarene 12-27
(Parnell,Justin 2-5; Beech,Louie 2-4; Ryman,Joel 2-6; Roberts,Tyler 2-4;
Shildmyer,Adam 2-3; Gielow,Kendall 1-3; Burk,Tippy 1-1; Simmons,Jason 0-1).
Fouled out--Western Oregon-None, Northwest Nazarene-None. Rebounds-Western
Oregon 35 (Hughes,Liam 7), Northwest Nazarene 38 (Helpenstell,Scott 9).
Assists-Western Oregon 10 (Krichevsky,Brad 3), Northwest Nazarene 18
(Roberts,Tyler 6; Parnell,Justin 6). Total fouls-Western Oregon 19,
Northwest Nazarene 14. A-671