NAMPA, Idaho – Despite three players reaching double-figures in scoring, the Western Oregon University men's basketball team wasn't able to comeback in the second half as Northwest Nazarene took the 95-59 Great Northwest Athletic Conference victory Thursday night inside the Johnson Sports Center.
Cameron Cranston led the way for the Wolves (3-9, 2-2 GNAC) with 16 points, along with five rebounds, an assist and a steal in playing all 40 minutes. John Morrill-Keeler went for 11 points, a team-high seven rebounds, two steals and a block. Qiant Myers rounded out the three in double-digits with 10 points, he added a team-high six assists and grabbed four rebounds. Yosani Clay just missed double-figures with nine points and Tyreek Price added eight.
Northwest Nazarene (5-5, 3-2 GNAC) moved out to the early 7-2 lead. The Wolves responded with an 8-0 run started on a layup by Cranston off the fastbreak that he later turned into a three-point-play. Clay added a three-pointer before he then closed the run with a jumper in the paint that left WOU with a 10-7 lead.
NNU came back with a 12-0 run to move in front by nine near the midway point of the opening half. Cranston ended the run with a triple and after a jumper by Daisone Hughes kept WOU within six, the Nighthawks hit back-to-back three-pointers to move ahead by 12.
After WOU pulled back to within 10 on a layup by Clay, NNU would get the lead up to 15 before a pair of free throws by Hughes kept the Wolves within 13. Another big run followed, this time a 10-0 spurt for the home team moved NNU's lead out to 23.
WOU would only get as close as 21 the remainder of the half before the Nighthawks took a 51-25 lead into halftime.
Morrill-Keeler and Myers opened the second half strong for the Wolves with Morrill-Keeler converting a layup and a three by Myers. After Clay followed with a dunk and Price hit a triple, the Wolves kept fighting, but it was just too much offense from the Nighthawks. A layup by Morrill-Keeler seven minutes into the second half had WOU within 27 but that would be as close as the Wolves would get the rest of the way with NNU taking the victory.
WOU went 23-63 (36.5) from the field, 5-22 (22.7) from three and 8-11 (72.7) from the foul line.
James Nelson led the Nighthawks with 21 points and 10 rebounds as five players scored in double-figures for NNU. Gabriel Murphy added a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Tru Allen tallied 15 points, Julian Agosto with 12 points and Christian Rose with 10 points. NNU went 37-71 (52.1) from the field, 11-26 (42.3) from three and 10-12 (83.3) from the foul line.
WOU will continue the road trip this Saturday when they travel to Ellensburg to face Central Washington starting at 6:15 p.m.
