Boxscore
NAMPA, Idaho - Brian Barkdoll and Kendall Gielow each scored 16 points from the paint to lead the Northwest Nazarene University men's basketball team to an 86-70 victory over the University of Alaska Fairbanks in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference game in Nampa on Thursday night.
The post duo led five Crusaders (11-6, 3-3 GNAC) into double-figures as Drew Eisinger added 13 points and both Jamie Eisinger and David Reeher scored with 10. Drew and Jamie Eisinger both finished with a game-high six assists as NNU handed out 21 assists against 16 turnovers. Gielow posted his first double-double of the season, adding a game-high 10 rebounds to his 16 point effort.
Emmanuel Jenkins led all scorer's for Alaska Fairbanks (6-9, 1-6 GNAC) with 17, while both Nashorn Maynard and Jon Moe scored 15.
A tight game in the early minutes, UAF led 24-23 with 8:25 left to play in the first half when Barkdoll hit two free throws, starting an 8-0 Crusader run that included a bucket by Lateef Williams, a jumper from Gielow, and a nice finish in the paint by Barkdoll to give the Crusaders a 31-24 lead with 6:37 left in the period. NNU would build on the run and lead 46-33 at the half.
The Nanooks would close the lead to nine twice in the second half, the last time on a Jenkins jumper with 14:15 remaining to make it 56-47, however the Crusaders answered with six straight as Barkdoll hit a jump-hook in the key and Drew Eisinger converted back-to-back jumpers from the outside to push it to a 15 point lead at 62-47 with 13:11 remaining.
The Crusaders shot 56.7-percent (34-60) from the floor and 76.2-percent (16-21) from the free throw line, while UAF was 26-of-69 from the floor (37.7-percent) from the floor and 66.7-percent (14-21) from the charity stripe.
NNU will now host the Seawolves from the University of Alaska Anchorage on Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. in a GNAC counter. UAA comes to Nampa ranked third in the NCAA West Regional poll, which was released on Wednesday.