DURANGO, Colo. - The Northwest Nazarene men's basketball team opened the season tonight with a 76-65 victory over The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs in the opening game of the George B. Boedecker Classic, hosted by Fort Lewis College.

 

Drew Eisinger led the Crusaders (1-0) with 17 points and was the first in a quartet of NNU players to reach double figures.  Brian Barkdoll added 14 points and a team-best seven rebounds, Jamie Eisinger scored 11 and Anthony Golden added 10.

 

Damar Hill led UCCS (0-1) with a game-high 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the floor and Brent Jones scored 14.

 

Led by Barkdoll, the Crusaders out-rebounded the Mountain Lions 34-23 as both Drew Eisinger and Lateef Williams had five rebounds from the guard positions.  Adding to the totals on the glass, Paul Egwuonwu and Darious Walker each grabbed four rebounds, had four assists each, and scored six and eight points, respectively.

 

The Mountain Lions shot 52.1 percent (25-48) from the floor, 36.4-percent (4-11) from the three-point line, but just 55 percent (11-20) from the free throw line.  NNU converted 29 of 53 (54.7-percent) from the field, went seven-of-13 (53.8-percent) from the arc, but joined UCCS at only 55-percent (11-20) from the foul line.

 

NNU led 36-29 at the half and saw UCCS cut the lead to just three at 41-38 after Rob Howe nailed a three-pointer with 15:56 to play.  However, the Crusaders responded with a three-pointer by Drew Eisinger and a dunk by Walker, sandwiched around a free throw by Hill, to lead by seven at 46-39 (14:42).

 

The Crusaders would take their first double-digit lead of the night on another Eisinger triple with 8:46 to go (59-49) and would lead by as many as 17 (68-51) after Walker converted a pair of free throws with 6:18 left.

 

NNU will face Fort Lewis College tomorrow night in the final game of the George B. Boedecker Classic, tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.