Box Score

MONMOUTH, Ore. — Excruciatingly close.

Mike Wright hoisted up a 3 as time expired, but the shot never had a chance as Tanner Omlid blocked the game-tying opportunity by the Crusaders, who came that close to a potential upset of Great Northwest Athletic Conference front-runner and No. 4-ranked Western Oregon on the road Thursday night.

"I am really proud of the way we competed tonight," said NNU head men's basketball coach Scott Flemming after the Crusaders' 62-59 near upset. "If we make a play or two at the end we beat the No. 2 team in the country on the road.

"Our defense was great," Flemming added. "It's tough to get that close and not get the win. "We are improving."

The Crusaders (7-10 overall, 3-8 GNAC) surged back against the Wolves — ranked No. 4 in the nation in the coaches poll and No. 2 in the land in the media poll — erasing a 14-point deficit in the first half on the road.

NNU eventually grabbed a 51-46 lead on a Bouna N'Diaye layup halfway through the second half, then both teams battled, trading the lead back and forth down the stretch.

The Wolves (17-2, 10-1) inched back out in front, up 57-53 in the final 30 seconds, by NNU sank 6-of-6 free throws late, keeping the game a one-possession affair.

Down 60-59 with 5.6 seconds to play, NNU fouled and sent Jordan Wiley to the free-throw line, and his two charity tosses for the Wolves set the stage for a dramatic finish.

Off an inbound pass from Pol Olivier with 1.6 seconds left, Wright hosted a 3 from the top of the key that Omlid jumped out and partially blocked as the Crusaders last-second chance to tie never made it to the basket.

A heart-breaking end to a fantastic effort by NNU, which held the Wolves to 34.4 percent shooting (22-of-64) and hung with WOU on the glass as the Crusaders grabbed 38 boards compared to 41 for the Wolves.

Wright led the Crusaders on the scoreboard with 16 points and grabbed five rebounds, while N'Diaye added 13 points and seven boards.

Joel Devastey chipped in seven points and eight rebounds, and Marko Lepovic had seven points and six rebounds for NNU, which is back in action at Concordia on Saturday night.