NAMPA, Idaho – The Northwest Nazarene men's basketball teams looked like world beaters for the first 13 minutes of Thursday's game against Saint Martin's.

Unfortunately, the Nighthawks couldn't sustain the early momentum eventually losing 97-87 in a game with Great Northwest Athletic Conference title implications.

NNU led 33-16 with 7 minutes, 50 seconds left in the first half, but the Saints closed the half on a 21-9 run and then used a 15-5 run early in the second half to take control of the game.

"I think we let our offensive struggles effect our defense," sophomore Sam Roth said. "When teams make mistakes (Saint Martin's) jumps on them. They are a good, consistent team."

Saint Martin's (23-4 overall, 16-3 GNAC) is guaranteed at least a split of the conference title and can win it outright by defeating Central Washington on Saturday or if the Nighthawks defeat Seattle Pacific. NNU can get the No. 2 seed and a bye in the conference tournament by winning Saturday.

"They made that run in the second half and we didn't respond to them offensively or defensively," NNU coach Paul Rush said. "We've talked all year about defensive consistency and we want to get better and better at being consistent. We were really good at that for most of the game and then that one stretch we weren't consistent."

The Nighthawks (19-6, 14-5) did use a late rally to attempt a comeback. Trailing 85-72 with 3:20 left, NNU went on a 10-2 run.

James Nelson made a free throw and then Adonis Arms had back-to-back three-point plays. Arms then stole the inbounds pass and was fouled, making 1-of-2 from the line and then Obi Megwa made a jumper to make it 87-82.

Arms then fouled out on a reach-in foul, though the Nighthawks again cut the deficit to five at 89-84 but the Saints were too good from the line to let this one get away. Saint Martin's made its last nine free throws of the game.

The Saints swept the season series and the two teams could meet again next week in the conference tournament at Western Washington, but despite the two losses to Saint Martin's the Nighthawks still feel like they can beat them.

"If anything, we got confidence from this game," Rush said. "We just have to keep them from going on a run like that again."

Megwa finished with a game-high 30 points and five rebounds, while Arms had 18 points, four rebounds and four assists and Jayden Bezzant added 18 points.

Preseason player of the year Luke Chavez scored 23 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out four assists for the Saints.

"One hundred percent I feel we can beat them," Roth said. "You saw in the first half we were tearing them up."

Now the Nighthawks must regroup to face a red-hot Seattle Pacific team and then hope they get another chance at the Saints next week.