NAMPA, Idaho – Northwest Nazarene men's basketball used a 17-2 second half run to pull ahead of Bushnell on Saturday night, defeating the Beacons 78-65 in the season opener during Homecoming Weekend.
Trailing 59-51 with 7:27 to play, the Nighthawks scored 11 unanswered to take a 62-59 lead. They then stretched it to 68-61 on a
Yaru Harvey layup with 3:42 remaining. It was smooth sailing from there, making free throws down the stretch for the 13-point victory.
The Nighthawks shot 48% from the field and an impressive 85.2% from the free throw line, making 23 of 27 attempts.
NNU also outrebounded Bushnell 39-31 and registered seven blocks.
Harvey led the Nighthawks with an NNU career-high 23 points, including a perfect 13-13 from the free throw line. He also added six rebounds, six assists, and three steals in an incredible all-around effort.
Kye Dickson added 16 points and seven boards in his NNU debut, while
Ryzin Bergersen and
Briggs Ranstrom each tallied 10 points. Ranstrom, also playing in his first game in a Nighthawks uniform, led the team with eight rebounds.
There will not be any rest for the Nighthawks, as they will turn around in just three days to host cross-county rival College of Idaho in the first edition of the 2024 United Heritage Mayors' Cup. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:07 p.m. in the Johnson Sports Center on Tuesday, November 12.
