NAMPA, Idaho – Northwest Nazarene men's basketball put another notch in the win column on Saturday, defeating Seattle Pacific 67-55.
The Nighthawks keep improving on their best start to the season in program history, now at 13-2 overall and 6-1 in GNAC play.
The game got off to a very slow start, with neither team finding a rhythm offensively. Over 15 minutes in, SPU held an 18-13 lead after three free throws went through at the 4:04 mark.
NNU then hit their first triple of the game as Biggie Bergersen connected with 2:33 to go and
Kye Dickson tied it moments later with a pair of free throws. The Nighthawks would close the half on an 11-0 run, with a
Sullivan Menard trey making it 24-18 at the break.
The lead grew to double digits at the 15:57 mark of the second half when
Briggs Ranstrom drilled a three to make it 32-22.
NNU led by as many as 14, but SPU did not go away quietly as the Falcons were able to cut the deficit down to three, 44-41, with 7:39 remaining.
Five quick points on a Ray Bergersen three and
Kye Dickson alley-oop off a backboard pass from Biggie Bergersen on the break put the Nighthawks back up by eight, and that would be the last run that SPU had in the tank.
Menard led the Nighthawks with 19 points, going 4-8 from the three-point line while adding five rebounds.
Kye Dickson just missed a double-double with 14 points and eight rebounds, while
Yaru Harvey added 13 points and three steals. Biggie Bergersen notched eight points, four assists, and four steals.
The Nighthawks now hit the road for the next two weeks, starting with a trip to Western Oregon next Thursday, Jan. 23, and No. 17 Saint Martin's on Saturday, Jan. 25.
