LA MIRADA, Calif. – Northwest Nazarene men's basketball bounced back from their first defeat of the season yesterday with an impressive 90-81 win at Biola this afternoon to wrap up their three-game road swing in California.
 
With the win, NNU improves to 3-1 on the season heading into their home opener next Thursday against Western New Mexico.
 
A day after going just 4-21 from beyond the arc in the loss to Point Loma, the Nighthawks turned things around in a huge way from deep with 16 made threes on 35 attempts (45.7%).
 
NNU also edged Biola in rebounding, 38-32, and assists, 22-15. Both teams took great care of the ball, with NNU committing just 11 turnovers and Biola only 10.
 
Ezekiel Alley had another big game for the Nighthawks, leading all scorers with 23 points including shooting 7-11 from beyond the arc. George Reidy finished with 19 points, five rebounds, and three assists, while James Nelson was also in double figures with 11 points.
 
Kobe Terashima put forth a great effort from the point, dishing out 10 assists and pulling down seven rebounds. Jaylen Fox also tallied nine points on three triples.
 
Alley got things started on the opening possession with a three-pointer to put NNU in front. Five minutes later, a three by Andrew Ferrin and another from Alley gave the Nighthawks a 16-13 advantage.
 
Both teams shot very well in the first half, as the Nighthawks and Eagles each topped 40 points with two minutes left in the period. With NNU leading 43-41 at the 1:50 mark, the Nighthawks made a little run before the half starting with a Terashima triple. Biola countered with a layup, but Fox and Alley each dropped in threes in the final minute to give NNU their largest lead of 52-43 at the break.
 
Alley's late triple beat the halftime buzzer from over 30 feet out, and was his fifth of the opening period. In all, the Nighthawks dropped in 11 threes in the first half.
 
NNU's offense kept firing after the break, powering to a 14-point lead, 68-54, with 14:58 to play on a Fox triple. The Nighthawks' biggest lead of the game came at the 7:26 mark, as a Nelson jumper made it 83-63 in favor of the visitors.
 
A late Biola run cut the deficit to single digits before the game was over, but it was much too little, too late for the Eagles as NNU came away with the 90-81 victory.
 
With their road trip complete, the Nighthawks will now return to Nampa to host Western New Mexico for three straight games in three days to open the home slate. Game one is set for Thursday, Jan. 21 at 6:00 p.m.