Box Score




NAMPA, Idaho — The Crusaders opened the door for Western Oregon and the Wolves raced through it and stole the win.

Comfortably in front by 14 points, the Northwest Nazarene women's basketball team let up just for a moment, but it proved costly as the Wolves rallied to steal a Great Northwest Athletic Conference victory away from NNU, 78-75, in a Saturday matinee at the Johnson Sport Center.

"Were up 14 and we took our foot of the gas a little, they got a little run and we weren't able to correct it," NNU head coach Steve Steele said. "We've just got to just keep our foot down on the pedal and learn from it."

The Crusaders (7-9 overall, 5-5 GNAC) were set to break the game open as a pair of Ellie Logan free throws early in the fourth quarter capped an 8-0 run and put NNU on top, 63-49, with 8 ½ minutes left to play.
 

A Raquel Jardine bucket answered a 3-pointer by Western Oregon's Sydney Azorr, and with 7 ½ minutes left on the clock, it looked like the Crusaders would easily hold on to the victory.

Instead, the Wolves (7-10, 3-7) got another 3-ball from Azorr, sparking an 8-0 run capped by a Jasmine Miller deuce that cut the margin to 65-61 midway through the stanza.

Twice the Crusaders tried to stave off the Wolves as a Raquel Jardine 3-point play made it a 68-61 game, and a Lexi Tubbs jumper had NNU up 70-63, but neither lead lasted.

A 9-1 run by WOU gave them a brief advantage, on top 72-71, and after an Ellie Logan layup put the Crusaders up one final time, an Azorr basket then a Kennedy Corrigan hoop gave the Wolves a 3-point margin they protected over the final 30 seconds for the win.

A frustrating setback for the Crusaders.

"I'm more frustrated with our defense," Steele said. "We played three quarters of defense; we gave up 29 points in the fourth quarter. I think if you're playing defense, the offense comes easier."

Logan led the NNU offense with 18 points, while adding seven rebounds, and Tubbs chipped in 17 points for the Crusaders, who also got six points and 10 boards from Danielle Jardine.

NNU, in the midst of a three-game skid, will look to snap that slide when its host Seattle Pacific next Thursday night at 5:15 p.m. in the first half of a women's and men's basketball doubleheader at the JSC.