MONMOUTH, Ore. - Northwest Nazarene men's basketball held off a late surge for the second game in a row to earn another road GNAC victory with a 65-62 win over Western Oregon.
 
The Nighthawks improve to 4-3 on the season and 2-0 in GNAC play.
 
The host Wolves got out to a strong start, leading 8-1 after two and a half minutes and 15-7 at the 14:22 mark.
 
NNU responded with a 15-0 run over the next six minutes, however, with six different players scoring led by four from Yaru Harvey. The run was capped by a Ryzin Bergersen free throw that made it 22-15 at the 8:09 mark.
 
The Nighthawks did not stop there, extending that same run to a 25-4 margin that put NNU on top 32-19 with four minutes to play in the half. Over the 25-4 stretch, NNU shot 50% with just one turnover while WOU was just one for seven with eight turnovers.
 
That 13-point lead would be the largest of the first half as the Nighthawks took a 38-32 advantage into the break.
 
NNU built the lead back up to double digits in the second half, with a Gabriel Murphy layup making it 50-38 with 13:21 to play. WOU went on a 14-4 run over the next five minutes, cutting the deficit to just two, 54-52, at the 8:18 mark.
 
The Nighthawks were able to hold the Wolves' charge off momentarily, but WOU eventually evened the score at 60 with a minute remaining. Tru Allen followed with a critical three-point play on a right-handed drive and layup to put NNU up 63-60 with 42 seconds left.
 
Rayzhon Bergersen would add two free throws from there, as the Nighthawks held on for the 65-62 victory.
 
Allen led the Nighthawks with his third-straight 20-point game, tallying 21 on the night along with five steals.
 
Gabe Murphy added his third double-double of the year with 10 points and 10 rebounds, while Easton Reagan followed with nine points.
 
After just two conference games, GNAC play will now take a hiatus until January. NNU's next contest will still be a big one, though, as they host College of Idaho in the Mayors' Cup rematch scheduled for Wednesday, December 6 at 7 p.m. in the Johnson Sports Center.
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