Box Score

BELLINGHAM, Wash. — The Crusaders battled, but slow starts out of the locker room in each half spoiled the night for Northwest Nazarene.

Host Western Washington jumped in front 10 points early in the game and never trailed, handing NNU an 83-66 defeat in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action Saturday night.

"We got off to a slow start in both halves," NNU head men's basketball coach Scott Flemming said. "We made a nice run in the second half, but we were in too big of a hole."

The Crusaders (8-16 overall, 4-14 GNAC) fell behind 16-6 just five minutes into the action, but battled back and trailed just 21-16 following a 3-pointer by Bouna N'Diaye.

The Vikings (15-12, 10-9) maintain the lead, though, and up 36-26 at the break, another slow start in the second half allowed Western Washington to go on a 23-3 run that put the game away.

Down, NNU didn't crumble, cutting the Vikes lead in half as a Detwon Rogers layup with two minutes to play made it 77-62, but the Crusaders comeback effort simply ran out of time.

N'Diaye led NNU with 23 points and six rebounds while Rogers added 11 points and seven boards for the Crusaders, who close out their season at home next weekend hosting Alaska Anchorage on Thursday and Alaska on Saturday.

"Our goal is to finish strong in our last two home games next week," Flemming said.