SEATTLE, WA – The NNU Women's Basketball team traveled to compete against the Seattle Pacific Falcons on Saturday the 17th. With a scoring surge in the fourth quarter the Nighthawks walked away with the, 72–62, victory.
The win moves NNU to 9-6 overall and 4-3 in conference play.
Northwest Nazarene got on the board early with free throws from Sadi Clemons, followed by an inside finish from Allie Hueckman and a three from Kelly Garrity to build early momentum. Seattle Pacific answered with scoring in transition, keeping the quarter tight as both teams traded baskets. The Nighthawks stayed competitive with scoring from Claire Fischer and Jené Wells, while defensive pressure on both ends forced turnovers. Wells closed the quarter with a jumper in the paint, sending NNU into the second quarter trailing by one, 17–16.
NNU traded stops early in the second quarter before Trinidie Nichols knocked down a three to give the Nighthawks a brief edge. Seattle Pacific answered inside, but NNU stayed within striking distance behind paint points from Kendall Clark and steady ball movement. Allie Hueckman sparked the offense with a fast-break three to tie the game midway through the quarter, and Kelly Garrity followed with strong perimeter play. Despite Seattle Pacific regaining a small lead late, Garrity closed the half at the free-throw line to send the teams into the break tied at 31–31.
The Nighthawks opened the third quarter with fresh legs. Kendall Clark and Sadi Clemons led the charge early with fast-break layups, while Allie Hueckman added a jumper to extend the lead. The Nighthawks hit multiple threes from Claire Fischer and Rylie Edlefsen to build separation, forcing Seattle Pacific to respond with points in the paint from Layne Kearns and Kara Wilson. NNU maintained control down the stretch of the quarter, finishing with strong free-throw shooting from Clemons to hold a 49–41 advantage heading into the fourth.
In the fourth quarter the Nighthawks built on their lead early on with Allie Hueckman hitting multiple free throws and a three-pointer, while Claire Fischer added a three and a fast-break layup to extend the advantage. Seattle Pacific fought back with points from Layne Kearns and Grace Leasure, but NNU stayed in control thanks to key baskets from Hueckman, Kelly Garrity, and Sadi Clemons at the line. The Nighthawks maintained a double-digit lead late, closing the game strong and finishing with a 72–62 victory.
Allie Hueckman led NNU with 17 points and 3 steals. Garrett Hawkes followed with 19 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals. Kelly Garrity added 10 points and 3 steals. Sadi Clemons also had 10 points, 3 steals, and 10 rebounds.
The Nighthawks will be back in Nampa on January 22nd as they compete against Western Oregon at 5:15 pm.
