NAMPA, Idaho – Cayden Wright came to the sideline frustrated Friday after missing five consecutive 3-pointers.

He muttered to himself, "I have one job on this team."

That job is to hit 3-pointers.

His sixth attempt was nothing but net and helped propel the Northwest Nazarene men's basketball team to a 77-74 victory against Colorado Christian in the Fairfield Inn Crossover Challenge.

"I feel like my role on this team is to knock down 3s," he said. "So, when Jaylen (Fox) attacked I was open and I knew that is just what I have to do. You want to be on fire all the time and you know you have the capability to make those shots, but sometimes it is just not your night.

"My teammates and my coaches believe in me so that gave me the confidence to keep firing and I finally knocked down a big one."

That shot gave the Nighthawks a 73-69 lead with 50 seconds remaining. He then made two free throws for a 75-72 lead and Fox added two of his own as the Cougars missed a desperation game-tying 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded.

"For sure we want him to keep shooting the ball," NNU's Adalberto Diaz said. "We trust him and know he can make them and he hit that big one at the end. That was a really big 3. We want him to keep shooting those and if he misses them, then we will be with him."

Wright finished with 10 points, while playing 22 minutes. Fox had a game-high 13 points and six assists, while Diaz added 12 points and seven rebounds, George Reidy had 12 points and Olamilekan Adetunji had nine points and 13 rebounds.

"It was an ugly win because that is a really well-coached team," NNU coach Paul Rush said. "They came out and executed really well and did a good job and put themselves in position to win. We were not a well-coached team tonight and it showed."

Colorado Christian led by as many as seven in the first half as the Nighthawks looked sluggish defensively.

At halftime, NNU (2-0 overall) didn't so much make adjustments as they did just dedicate themselves to dialing in defensively.

"It was mostly an effort thing," Wright said. "We knew we could have better rotations and play harder. It wasn't so much Xs and Os. We just needed to play harder and lock them up and win it on the defensive side."

NNU controlled the game most of the second half, leading by eight at the midway point, but the Cougars rallied and took a 67-63 lead with 4:29 left.

Adetunji then made a short jumper and Fox had a floater in the lane to tie the game at 67-67. After a jumper on the other end, Fox attacked the basket and got a three-point play for a 70-69 lead setting up Wright's big shot.

"It was an ugly win, but a win is a win," Diaz said. "We have tape to go look at and just get better."

In the earlier game Friday, Central Washington (2-1) defeated Texas A&M Kingsville 83-72. NNU plays Texas A&M Kingsville (2-1) at 8 p.m. Saturday while Central Washington plays Colorado Christian (0-3) at 4 p.m.