Box Score




NAMPA, Idaho — This is exactly what Crusader fans wanted to see, and it made coach Scott Flemming smile, too.

The Northwest Nazarene men's basketball team put on a show for its fans and rose to Coach Flemming's challenge, notching a huge victory in the oldest college basketball rivalry in the state, beating The College of Idaho, 69-60, Tuesday in front of more than 1,000 fans at the Johnson Sports Center.

"I think for our fans and our supporters, it's a great win," Coach Flemming said as NNU evened the season series in the United Heritage Mayor's Cup rivalry and claimed the Mayor's Cup for the next 11 months, "it certainly is for me, too.

"But as a coach, I'm just really excited about how we're improving and we're getting better from early in the season.
 

"It was a rocky start and we're really coming together."

A start that saw NNU fall in an exhibition contest in Caldwell against The C of I in the teams' first meeting in November, but riding high after toppling preseason Great Northwest Athletic Conference favorite Alaska Anchorage on Saturday, the Crusaders came out ready to settle the score against their long-time Canyon County rivals on Tuesday night.

The Coyotes came out ready, too, building an early 8-2 lead on a Roosevelt Adams free throw, but NNU fought back with a 10-2 run capped by a Maurice Jones bucket, and the battle was on.

A see-saw battle over the opening 20 minutes that ended in a 34-34 tie as the teams headed to their locker rooms.

That's when Coach Flemming issued a challenge to his team.

"I didn't feel like we matched their energy in the first half and we got caught — they made quite a few open 3s where we weren't really reacting to the ball, weren't flying at their shots," NNU's coach said.

"We really challenged them to play harder, and to take care of the skips and really try to guard the 3-ball on the perimeter."

The Crusader defense rose to that challenge as the Yotes' 6-of-15 performance beyond the arc in the first half turned into a 2-of-10 shooting effort in the final 20 minutes.

NNU also won the battle of the boards, 26-15, in the second half, as the Crusaders not only rose to their coach's challenge, but delighted the faithful fans at the JSC by taking control of the game.
 

After seeing The C of I grab one last lead — on top 38-34 after an Emanuel Morgan bucket — NNU went on a 12-1 charge that saw Carlos Garcia splash a 3 and Jones cap the run with another triple.

The Crusaders never trailed again, though the Yotes did make it interesting from time to time, clawing to within a single point three times.
 
Each time NNU rose to the Coyotes challenge as a Pol Olivier bucket silenced one threat, then Jones scored six straight to fend off the other two Yote charges and spark a late 10-2 run that iced the Crusader victory.

A victory that evened the season series at a win apiece and brought the Mayor's Cup home to Nampa where it will reside until the two rivals meet once again next November.

Jones led the way with a huge performance for NNU, scoring 21 points and grabbing 12 rebounds, while Bouna N'Diaye added 18 points, six rebounds and three steals in his final Mayor's Cup rivalry game for the Crusaders.

The Crusaders now get to savor the victory for a week and a half before hitting the road for their next game, an exhibition contest on Saturday, Dec. 17, at the University of Idaho.