Box Score

MONMOUTH, Ore. – After heartbreak on Thursday, the Crusaders couldn't bounce back and finish on a high note.

Instead, it was host Western Oregon that surged late to pull away and score a 69-55 victory over the Northwest Nazarene women's basketball team in the season finale for both Great Northwest Athletic Conference rivals Saturday night.

"The message to the team tonight was that in no way is our record indicative of the progress we made as a team thought the year," NNU head women's basketball coach Ryan Bragdon said.

"The most important thing we take away from the season is experience," added NNU's coach, who started three freshmen much of the season and whose team graduates just one senior in Kayla Schumann.

"We started the year lacking severely in that category, (experience) but we got a giant, healthy dose of that this season, and the way we continued to learn and grow is very encouraging for the future of the women's basketball program."

After seeing their GNAC playoff hopes dashed with a 69-67 overtime loss Thursday at St. Martin's, the Crusaders (7-20, 5-13 GNAC) started a bit slow but quickly erased an 8-0 deficit and built an 18-13 advantage when Schumann finished off a 3-point play with 9 minutes left in the opening half.

The Wolves (8-18, 5013) turned the game to their favor quickly, though, with a 20-3 run over the next 5 ½ minutes and never let the Crusaders close within possession again.

Though NNU did try as an Ellie Logan bucket trimmed the difference to 43-38 with 3 ½ minutes gone in the second half, and an Ellen Ferrenburg bucket made it a 57-53 ballgame with 7 minutes to play.

But Western Oregon finished with a 12-2 run that sealed the victory, spoiling the season finale for NNU.

Kate Cryderman led the way for NNU with 12 points and five assists while Logan scored 11 points and Cierra White had nine points and nine boards for the Crusaders.