Boxscore

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - The Northwest Nazarene University men's basketball team opened Great Northwest Athletic Conference play on Thursday night with a 90-78 victory over the University of Alaska Anchorage at the Wells Fargo Center in Anchorage.

Crusader guard Louie Beech led the sharp-shooting Crusaders (9-2, 1-0 GNAC) with 20 points, while forward Kendall Gielow was efficient inside with 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting.

UAA (6-8, 0-1) got 23 points apiece from guards Brandon Walker and Kenny Barker and started the game strong, jumping to a 20-11 lead just eight minutes in.

The Crusaders then began their three-point barrage, however, finishing the first half with a 13-2 run that would put them ahead for good. NNU connected on 11 of 22 from long range, including 5 of 6 in the second half.

UAA fell behind by double digits, 52-40, with 14:09 remaining, and only once got within nine the rest of the way.

Sophomore guards Kevin White and Lonnie Ridgeway chipped in 13 and 11 points, respectively, for UAA, which had its 10-game GNAC home winning streak snapped. The Seawolves had not lost a GNAC home contest since Feb. 2007 against former member Seattle University.

Senior captain Joel Ryman came off the bench to once again spark the NNU offensive attack, hitting on five-of-seven shots that included a four-for-six effort from the three-point line, to score 14. Scott Helpenstell led the Crusaders with a game-high eight rebounds, helping NNU out-rebound UAA 32-21.

The Crusaders will now travel to Fairbanks and battle the Nanooks, tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 AST.