Box Score

NAMPA, Idaho – The Crusaders nearly turned "Senior Day" into an upset special.

The Northwest Nazarene women's basketball team led much of the game against No. 18 Seattle Pacific on Saturday afternoon in the final home game for senior Kayla Schumann, but a second-half surge by the Falcons helped SPU to an 85-79 victory in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action at the Johnson Sports Center.

After a pre-game ceremony honoring Schumann, the team's lone senior, the Crusaders (6-18, 4-11 GNAC) went right to work and built a 12-7 lead on a Katie Swanson bucket, then held a 40-34 advantage late in the opening half after two free throws by Ellie Logan.

Up 42-39 at the break, NNU continue to fend off the top-20 Falcons and grabbed a 61-59 lead on a Lexi Tubbs 3-pointer with 9 minutes remaining.

That's when Seattle Pacific (19-3, 10-4) used a decisive 21-7 run to take control of the game.

NNU continued to battle, closing to 80-76 down on a Swanson free throw in the final minute, but the Crusaders couldn't complete the comeback, falling in their final home game of the season.

Logan led the way with a game-high 23 points and seven rebounds for NNU, which also got 14 points from CoCo Gall and 12 points and six steals from Taylor Simmons.

Schumann had one steal and one assists in her farewell game at the Johnson Sports Center.

NNU next plays at Central Washington on Saturday before wrapping up the regular season with games at St. Martin's and Western Oregon on Feb. 26 and 28.