NAMPA, Idaho – How sweep it is!

The 17^th-ranked Northwest Nazarene women's basketball team completed a weekend sweep of the Alaska schools by topping Alaska Fairbanks, 88-72  Saturday night in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play at the Johnson Sports Center on the NNU campus.

"As always, I'm very pleased," NNU coach Ryan Bragdon said, "it's another win and all wins are good wins."

Taylor Simmons led the way in the win, continuing her offensive tear for the Crusaders as she matched her career high – which she set on Thursday in NNU's 86-80 win over Alaska Anchorage – scoring a team-high 24 points.

"She's playing very, very tough-minded basketball from the point guard position," Bragdon said. "She's getting beat up but she's taking the blows, getting to the free-throw line, and still getting us into our offense."

Fourteen of her points came at the free-throw line, where the Crusaders (10-2 overall, 3-1 GNAC) once again thrived, hitting 37-of-44 (84.1 percent) of their charity tosses. Thursday, NNU hit 38-of-46, setting a GNAC record for free throws made by a team in a single game.

"When it comes down to being strong with the ball, we're being strong with the ball when we're attacking," Bragdon said. "But the key is were getting to the free-throw line and making them."

NNU was making lots of shots early, forging an 18-6 edge on a Megan Hingston putback with 8 minutes, 18 seconds gone, but the Nanooks (7-5, 1-3) hung around, closing the gap to 23-22 on two Samantha Thornton free throws.

Kayla Schumann kept NNU in front, splashing a 3-pointer that sparked a 12-2 charge into the locker room that gave the Crusaders a 35-24 lead at the break.

Alaska Fairbanks managed to close within six, down 50-44 after a pair of free throws by Kelly Logue with 12:48 left in the game, before a 13-2 run by the Crusaders finally put the victory on ice.

Chelsie Luke added in 17 points for NNU, which improved its home record to 8-0 on the season.

Schumann scored 14 for the Crusaders, who next play at Simon Fraser and Western Washington on Thursday and Saturday, respectively, while Hingston added 10 points and eight rebounds and Kylee Schierman had seven points and a game-high 11 rebounds as she returned from an injury five minutes into Thursday's game.

"Coming off an injury on Thursday, to come back and play 22 minutes and put up seven points and 11 boards again shows the character that our team has," Bragdon said of Schierman.

Jordan Wilson led all scorers with 26 points for the Nanooks.