Box Score

BILLINGS, Mont. – Any upset hopes the Crusaders held slowly disappeared Thursday night.

Playing the Great Northwest Athletic Conference-leading Yellowjackets, the Northwest Nazarene women's basketball team couldn't keep up late, falling 90-72 at Montana State Billings.

The evening started well for NNU (12-10 overall, 5-9 GNAC) as a Kylie Schierman layup with 8 minutes, 6 seconds gone put the Crusader in front 16-13.

But a 3:58 scoring drought, along with an 11-0 run by MSU Billings, gave the 'Jackets (19-5, 11-2) the lead for good.

A tenuous lead, as NNU, which trailed 46-36 at the break, closed to 56-50 down on a Leslie Warwick bucket with 13:38 remaining, and to 66-61 down on a Warwick layup with 8:16 left to play.

MSU Billings answered with an 11-3 run, though, taking a commanding 77-64 edge with 4:27 on the game clock.

That broke the game open as the Yellowjackets slowly padded their lead en route to the final 18-point margin.

Chelsie Luke led the Crusaders with 16 points in the setback while Megan Hingston added 14 points and seven rebounds for NNU, which saw five players record double-digit efforts.

Cierra White and Warwick each chipped in 11 points and Taylor Simmons scored 10 for NNU, which next plays at Seattle Pacific on Saturday.