Box Score

BURNABY, B.C. — The Crusaders finished the first half of the season with a must-win victory.

Kaileb Rodriguez slammed home a second-chance bucket, then Maurice Jones rattled off five straight for the Northwest Nazarene men's basketball team Saturday night to hold off the comeback efforts of host Simon Fraser for an 80-74 win in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action.

"Any road win in this conference is important for our goals," NNU head coach Scott Flemming said. "I am proud of our guys weathering the comeback and finishing strong. We have to still be more consistent in our play."

After controlling the first half, a Mark Lepovic layup to start the final 20 minutes put NNU on top, 41-27.

Then the Clan began to whittle away, grabbing a 55-53 lead on a Tyrell Lewin layup with 8 ½ minutes left to play.

Rodriguez answered the lead change by slamming home a bucket, tying the game, then a 3-point play by Jones put the Crusaders (8-8 overall, 5-5 GNAC) on top for good.

Jones then grabbed the offensive board after a Pol Olivier miss and tossed in the putback, putting NNU on top 60-55.

The Crusaders never let the lead slip away again, though Simon Fraser (2-16, 0-10) closed to 71-69 back in the final minute before Jones and Bouna N'Diaye each sandwiched a pair of free throws around a Jones dunk to help ice the win.

Jones and N'Diaye each had a double-double in the victory for the Crusaders, who also got a team-high 23 points from Rodriguez, along with seven boards.

N'Diaye added 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Jones recorded his eighth double-double of the season with 15 points and 11 rebounds for NNU, which sits in a three-way tie for fifth place in the GNAC.

The Crusaders now return home to begin the second half of the league race by hosting Western Oregon on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the Johnson Sports Center in the second half of a women's and men's basketball doubleheader that night.