BILLINGS, Mont. – Northwest Nazarene men's basketball had multiple chances to tie or take the lead late, but Montana State Billings held off the Nighthawks' comeback to win 77-73.
The Nighthawks fall to 9-5 in GNAC play and 16-6 overall.
Biggie Bergersen started off the scoring with a three-pointer, but MSUB would get out to an 11-6 lead after the first four minutes.
The Yellowjackets kept the pressure on, building their first-half lead to as much as 14, 40-26, with 1:58 to play. NNU closed the half on a 6-0 run, though, cutting the deficit to eight at the break.
MSUB came back strong after halftime, though, extending their lead up to 15, 49-34, at the 17:41 mark.
Another 6-0 Nighthawks run cut the deficit to nine, but the margin would go back to double digits until Bergersen hit a jumper at the 11:23 mark to make it 57-48. That bucket started a 14-4 run for NNU, with a
Sullivan Menard triple and
Easton Reagan and-one bringing the Nighthawks within one, 61-60, with 6:58 remaining.
The Yellowjackets temporarily stopped NNU's momentum, going on an 8-1 run to go back up by eight, 70-62, with 3:18 to play. The Nighthawks came right back with six-straight points on an
Easton Reagan bucket and four free throws from
Kye Dickson.
Moments later, a triple from
Briggs Ranstrom brought NNU back within one, 72-71, with just 47 seconds to go. NNU had a chance at the end to tie or take the lead, as MSUB missed a free throw up two with eight seconds left, but the Nighthawks were unable to get a shot off before turning the ball over to end the game.
Dickson led NNU with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Biggie Bergersen finished with 17 points, while
Sullivan Menard and
Easton Reagan each had nine.
NNU will now return home for their final two home games of the year, hosting Saint Martin's on Thursday and Western Oregon on Saturday.
