Box Score

LACEY, Wash. — The Crusaders didn't let this win slip away.

After seeing Western Oregon snag a win with a late surge two nights before, the Northwest Nazarene men's basketball team held off the comeback efforts of host Saint Martin's on Saturday to score a 72-68 win in overtime in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.

"I'm extremely proud of the resiliency and fight the men showed tonight," NNU men's basketball head coach Dave Daniels said. "We weathered a rough stretch offensively and then bounced back in overtime and made big plays when they mattered the most."

The Crusaders (5-10 overall, 3-2 GNAC) led 53-42 with 11 ½ minutes remaining in the second half after a dunk by Parris Massey, then hit that rough offensive stretch.

Over the next eight minutes, NNU managed just four free throws as the Saints (5-11, 2-4) charged into the lead with a 17-4 surge capped by a Riley Carel 3-pointer with 3 ½ minutes to play.

NNU showed its resiliency, though, as Bouna N'Diaye answered the Saints run with a triple and a Kevin Rima free throw pushed the Crusader advantage to 61-59.

NNU stretched the lead to 63-60 on two Mike Wright charity tosses, but St. Martin's made a frantic charge in the final 20 seconds, netting three freebies of their own to force overtime, tied 63-63.

A 3 by Tyler Copp put the Saints briefly in charge in the extra session, on top 66-63, before NNU took control with four straight points.

SMU took a final brief lead on a Carel fast-break layup, but an Alex Birketoft lay-in put NNU on top for good before Erik Kinney hit 3-of-4 free throws to seal the victory.

"Alex and Kevin and Bouna were major factors tonight," said Daniels.

"And our defensive effort and execution were also very solid," the Crusader coach added as NNU held SMU to 38.6 percent shooting (22-of-57), where even with the host Saints in rebounds, 32-32, and forced 12 turnovers.

N'Diaye led NNU with 18 points in the win, while Birketoft added 16 and Rima notched his 12^th career double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

Wright added 12 points for the Crusaders, who after 39 days away from home and playing 12 of their first 15 games on the road, host Simon Fraser on Thursday at the Johnson Sports Center.