NAMPA, Idaho – Northwest Nazarene men's basketball is set to play three games in five days this week, hosting Saint Martin's, Alaska Anchorage, and Alaska Fairbanks.
Game Information
NNU (5-7, 3-4 GNAC) vs Saint Martin's (14-5, 7-3 GNAC)
Tuesday, Feb. 8 | 7:00 PM | Nampa, Idaho | Johnson Sports Center
Live Video | Live Stats
NNU (5-7, 3-4 GNAC) vs Alaska Anchorage (10-5, 5-3 GNAC)
Thursday, Feb. 10 | 5:15 PM | Nampa, Idaho | Johnson Sports Center
Live Video | Live Stats
NNU (5-7, 3-4 GNAC) vs Alaska Fairbanks (7-10, 4-7 GNAC)
Saturday, Feb. 12 | 5:15 PM | Nampa, Idaho | Johnson Sports Center
Live Video | Live Stats
Nighthawks Notes
- NNU played just one game last week, falling on the road to Central Washington 93-70.
- The Nighthawks are currently eighth in the GNAC standings at 3-4, but sixth in the GNAC Points Rating System, which will be used this year to determine postseason seeding. All 10 teams will be invited to the conference tournament, with seeds 7-10 having to play a play-in first round to fill the eight-team bracket, so finishing sixth or better would earn a first-round bye.
- Five of NNU's seven losses this year have been by single digits.
- Gabriel Murphy is nearly averaging a double-double with 11.0 points and 9.7 rebounds a game, recording at least 10 of each in seven of the 11 contests. His rebounding mark leads the GNAC, while he is also first in the conference with 1.5 blocks per game. He also ranks in the top 50 nationally in two categories, topped by his 3.7 offensive rebounds per game that is 11th in the country.
- Kobe Terashima is fourth in the conference with 4.5 assists per game, dishing out four or more in six of his 11 games, including a season-high 10 in a double-double effort against Bushnell. He is also third on the team with five rebounds per game.
- He has only played four games, but James Nelson is leading the team with 20 points per game and 9.5 boards per game, shooting 50% from the field and 31.6% from deep.
- Reidy is second on the team with 14.5 points per game while recording 4.5 rebounds per game. Tru Allen and Christian Rose are also in double figures with 11.4 and 10.1 points per game, respectively, with Rose fourth on the team at 4.7 rebounds per game and Allen second in the GNAC with 2.0 steals per game.
- As a team, the Nighthawks are second in the GNAC with a 41.8 field goal percentage defense, first in rebounding at 39.4 boards per game, second with 3.5 blocks per game, third with 7.1 steals per game, and first with 12.6 offensive rebounds per game.
Series History
- Against Saint Martin's, NNU is 21-21 since joining Division II in 2001. The Nighthawks are 12-9 in the games played in Nampa. The Nighthawks have won the last four meetings, but the Saints won the previous five. In the most recent meeting on Feb. 20, 2021, NNU exploded out of the gates for a 44-19 halftime lead, cruising to a 71-53 victory.
- Against Alaska Anchorage, NNU is 15-24 since joining Division II in 2001. The Nighthawks are 11-8 in the games played in Nampa. In the most recent meeting on March 5, 2020, NNU led by two at halftime but UAA pulled away in the second half for an 85-76 win in the GNAC semifinal.
- Against Alaska Fairbanks, NNU is 19-20 since joining Division II in 2001. The Nighthawks are 10-9 in the games played in Nampa. The Nighthawks have won the last five in a row, but the Nanooks took the previous six straight contests. In the most recent meeting on Jan. 13 in Fairbanks, NNU built an eight-point halftime lead and held that till the end for a 77-69 victory.
Scouting the Saints
- Saint Martin's is currently leading the conference in both the standings and the Points Rating system, coming into the week 14-5 overall and 7-3 in GNAC play.
- The Saints have won 10 of their last 12 games, but one of those losses came in their most recent game, falling to Montana State Billings 80-69 at home on Feb. 3.
- Brett Reed leads the team in scoring with 14.7 points per game, one of three players averaging double figures. He is also tied for fourth in the GNAC in rebounding at 8.3 per game and fourth with a 58.8 field goal percentage.
- Alex Schumacher is next on the team with 13.8 points per game, and is first in the GNAC with an 87.5 free throw percentage, tied for fourth with 1.6 steals per game, and tied for sixth with 3.9 assists per game.
- Kyle Greeley rounds out the double figure scorers with 12.6 points per game and is the only Saint to have played and started in all 19 contests.
- Jade Nielsen-Skinner leads the GNAC with 5.9 assists per game, while adding 8.7 points per game.
- The Saints have three players in the top five in the GNAC in three-point percentage, with Champ Spencer first at 48.8%, Christian Haffner fourth at 44.9%, and Tyke Thompson fifth at 44.7%.
- Marky Adams leads the conference with a 62.0 field goal percentage and is tied for second with 1.2 blocks per game.
- As a team, the Saints are third in the conference with 80.9 points per game, second with 68.1 points allowed per game, third with a 49.2 field goal percentage, first with a 41.8 three-point percentage, second with 17.1 assists per game, and second with 7.5 steals per game.
Scouting the Seawolves
- Alaska Anchorage is second in the GNAC in both the standings and the PRS, coming into the week 10-5 overall and 5-3 in conference play.
- The Seawolves have won their last two contests against Simon Fraser and Western Washington, and will host Montana State Billings on Tuesday before heading to Nampa.
- The Seawolves have three of the top eight scorers in the conference, with Tobin Karlberg sixth at 17.0 points per game, Oggie Pantovic seventh at 16.2 points per game, and Hunter Sweet eighth at 15.7 points per game. The trio combine for 48.9 of UAA's 77.1 points per game, nearly 65%.
- Pantovic is also third in the conference with 8.9 rebounds per game and tied for second with 1.2 blocks per game.
- David Rowlands is second in the GNAC with 5.1 assists per game.
- UAA is third as a team in the GNAC in three-point percentage at 38.1%, first in assists at 17.7 per game, second with a 1.6 assist-turnover ratio, and third with 10.9 offensive rebounds per game.
Scouting the Nanooks
- Alaska Fairbanks is ninth in the GNAC standings entering the week, coming in at 4-7 in the conference and 7-10 overall.
- However, the Nanooks are just as hot as any other team, winning their last three in a row over WWU, SFU, and MSUB.
- The Nanooks are led by potential GNAC Player of the Year Shadeed Shabazz, who averages 21.2 points per game to lead the conference. He is also fifth in the conference with an 85.4 free throw percentage, first with 3.1 steals per game,
- Coleman Sparling is fourth in the GNAC with 8.3 points per game while adding 9.8 points per game.
- Quin Barnard is second on the team in scoring at 14.1 per game and second in the conference shooting 47% from deep.
- Koby Huerta is third on the team in scoring with 10.6 per game and shoots 40.8 percent from three point range.
- Barnard, Sparling, Huerta, and Shabazz are all in the top 10 in the GNAC in minutes played.
- As a team, the Nanooks are third in the GNAC with a 77.6 free throw percentage, second with a 39.0 three-point percentage, and fourth with a +1.31 turnover margin.
