Box Score Boxscore

NAMPA, Idaho - Holding the Wildcats to 10 points in the final 8:04 of the game the Northwest Nazarene men's basketball team defeated Central Washington University 75-70 tonight in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference game at the Johnson Sports Center.

The Wildcats (10-10, 4-8 GNAC) held a 60-53 lead with 8:04 to play before the Crusaders produced an 11-3 run that gave NNU the lead at 64-63. 

Michal Kurimsky started the charge with a pair of free throws, Anthony Golden hit a jumper in the lane and a three-pointer, JB Pillard scored in the post and Jonathan Hawkins ended the outburst with two free throws that gave the Crusaders the lead for the first time since the 10:22 mark of the first half.

The Wildcats quickly regained the lead at 65-64 when Lacy Haddock stole a guard to guard pass and went the distance for a dunk, but the Crusaders called a timeout and answered with another Golden three-pointer to lead 67-65 with 65-seconds left.

Jordan Nicholes went four-for-four from the line, Golden was two-for-two and Pillard added a breakaway dunk to seal the victory down the stretch as the Crusaders improved to 11-9 overall and 5-7 in GNAC action.

"We played probably the best eight minutes of defense we've played all season tonight at the end of the game," commented NNU head coach Dave Daniels.  "We needed those stops and I was proud of our effort to get them."

Pillard led all players with 21 points on nine-of-11 shooting from the field and both Golden and Kurimsky added 15 for the Crusaders.  Hawkins finished with 13 on seven-of-nine shooting from the free throw line.

The Wildcats were led by Haddock with 14, Jody Johnson with 13, Jordan Coby added 12 and both Kevin Davis and Toussaint Tyler scored 11.

The Wildcats out-rebounded the Crusaders 34 to 28, led by Johnson who produced the games only double-double with 12 rebounds.

The victory marks the first time the Crusaders have swept a men's basketball season series against Central Washington.

NNU will return to the road next weekend, playing at Seattle Pacific and Montana State Billings on Thursday and Saturday.