Box Score





NAMPA, Idaho — Crusader head coach Steve Steele evidently found the perfect halftime speech to inspire his team.

"I just told them we were playing too soft," NNU's coach said.

After leading by just two points at the break, the Crusaders turned up their defensive intensity to dominate Montana State Billings and roll to a 78-60 win Thursday night in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play at the Johnson Sports Center.

"We just have to bring more energy and be more aggressive on defense," NNU's first-year head coach said. "We've got the depth, we shouldn't be backing off and saving anything in the tank because we have a lot of kids that can come in and give energy.

"So that's what we did differently in the second half."
 

Leading just 37-35 at the break, NNU's different defensive intensity broke the game open as the visiting Yellowjackets managed just eight total field goals and committed 14 turnovers against relentless Crusader pressure.

That led to a 11-1 run by the Crusaders (4-2 overall, 2-0 GNAC), who forged a 50-41 lead on a Raquel Jardine layup — off a Danielle Jardine assist — with 6 ½ minutes gone in the third quarter.

NNUs defense kept the pressure on, and back-to-back turnovers led to a Lexi Tubbs fast-break layup, then a Kate Cryderman 3-pointer, and suddenly NNU led 60-45 at the end of the third.

The Crusaders didn't let up, though, taking a 17-point lead on a Raquel Jardine putback, and eventually pushing their advantage to as much as 76-56 late on a Colette Gall bucket.

That allowed the Crusaders to complete a sweep of GNAC home games in a mini, two-game start to the league race, which now takes a month-long hiatus.

"It's early, obviously, but it feels good to be 2-0," Steele said, adding, "I think I'm mostly happy for the girls, they reminded me — I didn't even know — Billings actually beat us three times last year, so they were really wanting to win that game.

"So I'm happy for our girls."

McKenna Walker led a balanced NNU offensive attack with 13 points, while Gall had 12 points and seven rebounds, and Raquel Jardine scored 11 points and also grabbed seven boards for the Crusaders, who are off until Dec. 17 when they play Eastern New Mexico in Las Vegas in a pre-Christmas tournament.