Box Score




NAMPA, Idaho — This is the way to celebrate "Senior Day."

Kate Cryderman splashed a late 3-pointer, highlighting a perfect day on the hardwood for the Northwest Nazarene women's basketball team as the Crusaders gave their teammate, Cryderman, a happy home finale, routing Alaska, 93-60, in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play Saturday afternoon.
 

"We talked about it before the game and what Kate really wanted,"  NNU assistant coach Elpidia Allen said, "… it was everything the girls did; they played hard, we rebounded, we played defense.

"Everyone did a great job to do that for her."

Providing not just a very happy sending-off for NNU's lone senior, but a crucial win in the GNAC playoff race for the Crusaders (9-13 overall, 7-9 GNAC), who tied the Nanooks for fifth in the league standings and completed the season sweep of Alaska, giving NNU the head-to-head tie-breaker.

And NNU — which rallied late and needed overtime to top Alaska, 84-77, in Fairbanks last month — did it with dominating defense Saturday to break this contest open early.

After the Nanooks (11-12, 7-9) got as close as 24-21 down in the opening moments of the second quarter, NNU pulled away allowing just two free throws over the next 7 minutes, holding Alaska to 0-of-8 shooting and forcing three turnovers.

"It was great, the girls played really well defensively," said Allen, filling in for head coach Steve Steele after the game. "We shut them down; second quarter we only allowed nine points, so that was excellent."
 

And the NNU offense clicked along as a McKenna Walker 3-pointer made it a 32-21 ballgame, a Maya Rodgers triple pushed the lead to 38-22, and a bucket by "Senior Day" honoree Cryderman stretched the advantage to 42-23, capping an 18-2 run.

A Walker 3-ball just before the half made it 45-25, virtually icing the victory at the midway point.

Alaska tried to make a comeback in the second half, closing to 55-43 down on two Jordan Wilson free throws, but the Crusaders answered the threat with a 13-2 run and never looked back.

And a 3-ball by Cryderman — the all-time NNU leader in 3-point shooting percentage — made it an 85-58 ballgame just before the Crusader senior exited the game to a standing ovation.

Cryderman finished with seven points, four rebounds and two assists in her final game at the Johnson Sports Center, while Walker led the way with 17 points for NNU.

Carly Parker added 15 points, and Ellie Logan scored 12 points, grabbed six rebounds and added four assists for the Crusaders, who close out the season on the road with four games starting at Western Oregon this coming Thursday.