Men's Basketball | 1/17/2009 4:16:12 PM

Box Score NAMPA, Idaho - Kendall Gielow led a group of five Northwest Nazarene players in double figures as the host Crusaders topped Western Oregon 92-75 in a men's Great Northwest Athletic Conference basketball game on Saturday afternoon in Nampa, Idaho.
 
Gielow's career-high 24 points helped push NNU's overall record to 10-4 and they are now 2-2 in the GNAC.  The Wolves fall to 7-7 on the year and to 1-2 in conference play.
 
For the third consecutive game, freshman point guard Blair Wheadon led WOU in scoring, this time tallying 23 points.  He hit 9 of 12 shots from the floor, had three assists and two steals.
 
Travis Kuhns added 15 points and six rebounds for the visitors, while Sam Kelly and Stanley Ratcliff checked in with 14 points each.  Brian Barkdoll had a double-double for NNU with 18 points and 11 boards, while Tyler Roberts and Louie Beech added 10 points each for the Crusaders.
 
NNU led 45-38 at the half, but the Wolves would open the second frame strong, cutting the lead to three after a Kelly three-pointer made it 55-52 with 15:22 to play. 
 
But the Crusaders would answer, scoring eight straight points with Gielow getting a jumper and Ryman draining back-to-back three's to push the lead back to 11.  NNU would finish the decisive run at 15-4 as Matt Mgebroff finished in the paint to make it 70-55 with 10:28 left.  NNU would lead by as many as 19 on the way to the home court victory.
 
Western Oregon will now return home this coming week, hosting Alaska Anchorage on Thursday (7:30) and Alaska Fairbanks on Saturday (7 pm).