Nampa, ID – The Northwest Nazarene University Women's Basketball team finished off the weekend with an exciting 83-73 victory over the Saint Martin's Saints on Saturday the 24th.
The win moves NNU to 11-6 overall and 6-3 in conference play.
The Nighthawks got off to a slower start in the first quarter, going scoreless for the first four minutes. Sadi Clemons finally broke through with a three-pointer, sparking the NNU offense. Beaux Bruegman followed with a three of her own on the very next possession. The low-scoring quarter saw the Saints hold the lead for most of the period until Trinidie Nichols drove for a layup to put NNU ahead 11-10 as the quarter came to a close.
In the second quarter, the Nighthawks shifted momentum with timely defense and by capitalizing on Saint Martin's fouls. Clemons and Bruegman continued to attack the paint, while Nichols added another spark with a three-pointer at the seven-minute mark. Jada Travis hit a three for the Saints to bring them within one, but NNU continued to battle. Kendall Clarke contributed key points in the paint, and Bruegman's late three-pointer before the buzzer extended NNU's lead to 39-31 at halftime.
Coming out of the break, the Nighthawks looked to maintain their intensity. Jené Wells sank an early three-pointer, followed by Bruegman hitting another deep shot to keep a ten-point lead midway through the third quarter. Both teams struggled to find success inside, relying heavily on three-point shooting to sustain momentum. Shooting 50% from beyond the arc, NNU capitalized on enough opportunities to hold a slim lead of 50-47 heading into the final quarter.
The Saints fought back in the fourth, with Harper Wagner finding success in the paint to cut the lead to just one. NNU responded with strong composure and defense, with Clemons, Rylie Edlefsen, and Clarke all contributing key baskets in the paint to rebuild a seven-point advantage. Despite continued pressure from Saint Martin's, the Nighthawks stayed resilient and closed out the game with a 83-73 victory.
Beaux Bruegman led NNU with 19 points, 2 steals, and 3 rebounds. Trinidie Nichols followed with 15 points and 6 rebounds, while Kelly Garrity and Sadi Clemons each added 10 points apiece.
The Nighthawks will stay at home this upcoming week to face off against Alaska Fairbanks on Thursday the 29th at 7 pm.
