Box Score

BILLINGS, Mont. – The Crusaders will be eagerly looking forward to a return to Montana after Thursday night's performance.

The Northwest Nazarene men's basketball team dominated all night long in a 91-67 blowout of host Montana State Billings in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action.

In one week, NNU (13-14, 11-6 GNAC) will be back in Billings for the GNAC Tournament, and after their rout of the Yellowjackets (5-22, 3-14), no doubt the Crusaders will feel good stepping onto the hardwood on the MSU Billings campus once again.

"I thought our guys came out very focused and playing with purpose on both ends of the court," NNU head men's basketball coach Dave Daniels said.

That set the tone, as did an Aubrey Ball 3-pointer followed by back-to-back Kevin Rima layups, which spotted the Crusaders to a quick 7-0 lead, and NNU never trailed.
 

A Bouna N'Diaye layup pushed the advantage to a comfortable 21-10 margin, a Pol Olivier bucket stretched NNU's edge to 28-12 with 8 minutes until halftime, and an Erik Kinney 3-point play gave the Crusaders a commanding 63-42 lead with 13 minutes left on the scoreboard clock.

The Crusaders finished shooting a dominating 54.7 percent (35-of-64) from the field, made 10-of-24 from 3-point range, out-rebounded the Yellowjackets 35-22, and saw 9-of-10 players who hit the court score three points or more.

NNU also won the turnover battle, giving up the ball just nine times and forcing 13 MSU Billings miscues, and held the 'Jackets to 45.3 percent shooting (24-of-53).

"We did a great job of taking care of the basketball and limiting our turnovers," Daniels said, adding, "it was an overall great team win with five guys in double figures and 17 assists."

Kinney led the Crusaders balanced attack with 19 points while Rima tossed in 16 points and grabbed six rebounds.

Alex Birketoft had 12 points – hitting 4-of-4 3-pointers – as did N'Diaye, who also grabbed seven rebounds, and Olivier scored 11 in the win.

Next up for the Crusaders is a battle for second place Saturday night in Seattle when NNU plays at Seattle Pacific in the regular-season finale for both teams. The winner secures second place in the GNAC and a first-round bye in next week's conference tournament, which begins Thursday in Billings, Mont.