Box Score Boxscore

CALDWELL, Idaho - Kyle Erickson's three pointer with 80-seconds left broke a 67-67 tie, lifting Montana Western past Northwest Nazarene, 72-67, in the opening game of the 5^th Annual C of I/NNU Holiday Classic in Caldwell.

The Bulldogs (8-3), playing the game as an exhibition, used a 13-3 run midway through the second half to take a 58-56 lead with eight minutes to play.

Brandon Brown had a game-high 22 points for Western, with Tyler Hurley adding 20.

Andy Maxwell had 15 points to lead the Crusaders (5-4).  Also in double-figures were JB Pillard with 13 and both Keith Moilanen and Anthony Golden scored 11.

Montana Western shot 43.8-percent from the field (21-48) and the Crusaders were 21 of 50 for 42-percent, however, NNU committed 15 turnovers which UMW converted into 17 points.

Both teams finished with 31 rebounds with Pillard leading all players with seven.

NNU finished 13 of 26 from the three-point line and UMW was six of 17 but the Bulldogs out-scored the Crusaders by 12 at the free throw line, converting 24 of 31, while the Crusaders were 12 of 15.

The Crusaders will face Multnomah University tomorrow night at 6 p.m. in their second game of the C of I / NNU Holiday Classic for 2011.