Box Score




NAMPA, Idaho — The Crusaders got their Mo Jo back Saturday night: Yea Baby!

Maurice Jones returned to the lineup after missing one game because of a minor injury and provided an extra lift for the Northwest Nazarene men's basketball team, which held on to top visiting Concordia, 74-72, at the Johnson Sports Center.

"He's so outstanding, he plays so hard; I think he's got to be an all-league player," NNU head coach Scott Flemming said of Jones.

The Crusaders junior forward had game-highs of 25 points and 13 rebounds in his return to the lineup, his ninth double-double this season.

That helped NNU (9-9 overall, 6-6 GNAC) get over the hump for the first time against a Cavaliers team that had not loss to the Crusaders since joining the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
 

Jones' spark helped NNU early as he slipped a 3-pointer in between a pair of Kaileb Rodriguez buckets — the later a thunderous dunk that put the Crusaders on top 17-11, 6 ½ minutes into the action.

NNU kept building on that momentum, taking a 36-30 lead at the break, and stretching its advantage to 44-34 early in the second half on a jam by Bouna N'Diaye.

But NNU's momentum slowed — in part because of third foul against Jones that sent him to the bench — and the Cavaliers chipped away, building a 54-48 lead with 10 minutes left on two Drew Martin free throws.

The turnaround didn't faze the Crusaders one bit, though, as NNU regrouped and retook the lead as Jayden Bezzant started the comeback with a bucket, then Jones tossed in five straight to put his team on top, 57-56.

"I think we're doing a lot better in weathering the storm and not getting too down and being confident enough to come back," Flemming said.
"I'm really proud of our guys tonight for pulling this tough victory out."

From there, both teams traded the lead back and forth before an N'Diaye layup off a Rodriguez assist snapped a 69-69 tie.

Pol Oliver added a free throw, then, after a big defensive stand and Jones rebound, the Crusaders got an Olivier layup for a tenuous 74-70 lead.

NNU then got one more defense stop and Jones board to ice the victory.

"Seems like all of our games lately are all close and you've got to make plays in the end, and we did tonight," Flemming said.

A thrilling victory that puts the Crusaders firmly in sixth in the GNAC standings, and poised to climb as NNU hosts Central Washington on Tuesday and Montana State Billings on Thursday. Both teams are tied for fourth and fifth in the league standings, one game ahead of the Crusaders.

While Jones led the way, N'Diaye added 16 points in the win and Rodriguez had 10 points for the Crusaders.