Box Score

SEATTLE, Wash. — It came down to a battle of the boards, and unfortunately, the Crusaders lost the battle.

Outrebounded 51-26, Seattle Pacific was able to hold off the visiting Northwest Nazarene men's basketball team and score a 69-52 win Saturday night in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action.

"I thought we competed for most of the game, but rebounding was the story tonight," NNU head men's basketball coach Scott Flemming said. "They have length and we did not keep them off the offensive boards.

"Seattle Pacific is a solid team," Flemming added, "it is our goal to get to that level."

For about 22 minutes NNU was at that level, matching the Falcons bucket for bucket as a Bouna N'Diaye jumper got the Crusaders within two points, down 13-11 with 9 minutes gone.

And a Pol Olivier layup for NNU (6-8 overall, 2-6 GNAC) made it a 30-24 ballgame at the break.

A Nikola Prvulj 3-pointer answered a strong start by SPU in the second half and had the Crusaders down 32-27, but the Falcons slowly pulled away helped by rebounds as SPU had 11 offensive boards to NNU's 11, total.

Detwon Rogers led the way with 13 points for the Crusaders who also got nine points apiece from N'Diaye and Prvulj.

The Crusaders now return home to host Western Washington on Thursday and Simon Fraser on Saturday. Both games tip-off at 7 p.m.

Both nights will be special events at the Johnson Sports Center as Thursday is Treasure Valley School Night. All area kids, 18 and under, along with all school staff get in free.

Saturday is Alumni Appreciation Night, and there will be a pizza and salad dinner prior to the game for NNU alumni who graduated 2000 or after. There also will be supervised games for the kids and a bounce house in the JSC Fieldhouse during the game. Buy tickets to RSVP for Alumni Appreciation Night at nnusports.com/familynight.