Box Score Boxscore

ELLENSBURG, Wash. - Jonathan Hawkins and Michal Kurimsky each scored a season-high 21 points to lead the Northwest Nazarene men's basketball team to a 98-96 conference win over Central Washington University tonight at Nicholson Pavilion in Ellensburg.

Hawkins and Kurimsky led a quartet of Crusaders into double-figures as NNU won in Ellensburg for the first time since Jan. 21, 2006.

Anthony Golden finished with 18 points and a game-high eight assists and JB Pillard added 12 points and a game-high seven rebounds.

NNU (8-5, 2-3 GNAC) out-rebounded the Wildcats 36-30 and hit 10 of 23 (43.5-percent) three-point attempts.

Jody Johnson led the Wildcats (7-6, 1-4 GNAC) with a game-high 26 points and Lacy Haddock scored 24 and dished out a team-best six assists.  Also in double-digits for Central Washington were Jordan Coby with 11 and Kevin Davis with 10.

The Crusaders were tied 47-47 at the half and trailed by seven at 72-65 with 11:40 to play. 

A 9-2 run that included Hawkins only three-pointer of the night, Golden and Kurimsky lay-ins and a Kurimsky dunk tied the game at 74-74 with 9:51 to go.  Hawkins again tied the score at 76-76 with 8:54 left and the Crusaders took the lead for good on a Pillard lay-in with 8:17 remaining.

NNU would lead by as many as six (90-84, 3:27) but would need to finish three of four from the free throw line in the final minutes to hold on for the victory.

The Crusaders will return home for the first time this year next weekend, hosting MSU Billings and Seattle Pacific on Thursday and Saturday nights.