Lacey, Wash. —The road proved challenging Thursday night in Lacey as Northwest Nazarene University dropped a 70-54 conference matchup to Saint Martin's University inside Marcus Pavilion.
Northwest Nazarene showed fight throughout the night, but a tough shooting performance and Saint Martin's control of the glass ultimately created too large a gap to overcome. The Nighthawks shot 21-of-58 (36.2%) from the field and just 2-of-16 (12.5%) from three-point range, while the Saints capitalized on second-chance opportunities and timely perimeter shooting to steadily build separation.
After Saint Martin's knocked down an early three-pointer to open the scoring, NNU responded with energy on the defensive end. Briggs Ranstrom set the tone inside with a pair of early blocks and a strong finish at the rim, and Garrett Hawkes connected from deep to keep the Nighthawks within reach. Jaden Byers was aggressive from the start, attacking downhill and earning trips to the free-throw line to spark the offense.
Despite those efforts, the Saints pieced together an 11-3 run midway through the first half to seize control. Offensive rebounds and extra possessions proved costly, as Saint Martin's repeatedly extended possessions and found rhythm from the perimeter. Still, NNU stayed competitive behind balanced contributions. Aaron Murphy gave the Nighthawks a physical presence in the paint, finishing with 10 points and a team-high nine rebounds, while Hawkes added eight points and five boards.
Byers led all Nighthawks with 18 points on 6-of-12 shooting, adding five rebounds and six made free throws in a strong all-around effort. Kyelin King provided a spark off the bench with eight points, including an aggressive second-half stretch where he attacked the basket and converted through contact. Ranstrom chipped in six points, three rebounds, and two blocks, helping NNU tally four blocks as a team.
In the second half, Saint Martin's gradually pushed the lead into double digits. A pair of three-pointers during a key stretch helped the Saints stretch the margin past 15, forcing the Nighthawks to play from behind the rest of the way. NNU continued to compete defensively and generated 35 total rebounds and 11 assists, but 13 turnovers and the cold shooting night made it difficult to mount a sustained comeback.
Late in the game, Byers continued to attack the rim and converted a driving layup in the final minute, but the Saints answered on the other end to seal the 70-54 decision.
Northwest Nazarene will look to regroup quickly as conference play continues on Saturday, aiming to turn the page and bounce back with a strong response in its next outing. The Nighthawks will face off against Western Oregon at 5:15 Mountain Time.
