LACEY, Wash. - Louie Beech scored a career-high 23 points and Brian Barkdoll pulled down a career-best 12 rebounds but the Saint Martin's University men's basketball team was able to outlast the Crusaders 94-88 in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference contest in Lacey.

 

Beech led the Crusaders, along with Barkdoll's double-double of 22 points and 12 rebounds, and both Kendall Gielow and Adam Shildmyer reached double-figures with 16 and 14, respectively.

 

The Saints (19-7, 7-5 GNAC) used a 10-point advantage at the free throw line to secure the victory, going 31 for 35, while the Crusaders (10-12, 2-9 GNAC) were 21 for 24, attempting less than the Saints converted.

 

NNU dominated the glass, out-rebounding SMU 39-23, and shot 49.2-percent (30-61) from the floor, converting three more field goals than the Saints at 27 for 52 (51.9-percent).

 

Tyler Nixon scored a game-high 27 points for the Saints, leading a quartet of SMU players into double-figures.  Jake Linton scored 19, Bill Richardson added 16, and Justin Alexander dropped 14.  Linton was held to only three field goals, but scored 12 of his 19 points from the free throw line.

 

The Crusaders will now travel to Monmouth, Ore. and face Western Oregon on Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. PT.