BETHANY, Okla. — Coming off its toughest road trip of the season, Southern Nazarene rang in 2016 with a big 80-64 win over Arkansas-Monticello to get back on track.
 
The Crimson Storm (4-7, 3-2 GAC) snapped a four-game skid and did it with a tough defensive second half against the Boll Weevils (3-8, 1-4 GAC). SNU held UAM to just 39.4 percent shooting from the floor and gave up just two 3-pointers in the second half after Monticello shot 42.9 percent from the field and had six treys in the first half. The Storm nearly doubled up UAM on the boards as well as Southern Nazarene had 41 rebounds compared to just 21 by Monticello.
 
The Storm had at least one rebound by everyone who played and had at least five rebounds from four different players. SNU also outscored the Weevils in the paint 34-26.
 
CJ Rodriguez led the way for SNU with 22 points, five assists and four rebounds as the senior was 7-for-10 from the field and 4-for-7 from 3-point range. C.J. White added 15 points and six rebounds. LB Willis also had 11 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
 
The Storm shot 52.8 percent from the field and lit up the nets in the second half as they were 65.2 percent from the field. SNU was also 8-for-21 from beyond the arc.
 
Monticello jumped out to a 17-9 lead midway through the first half and were up 25-19 with 4:47 left when Deshon Portley started a 14-5 run to close the half. That gave the Storm a 33-30 lead at the break. The Boll Weevils scored the first five points of the second half to lead 35-33, but a pair of Willis free throws ignited a 14-2 run as SNU took its first double-digit lead of the game at 47-37.
 
UAM cut it to 51-47 with 10:43 remaining, but that was as close as it game. Willis then sparked another run and got a bookend layup to put the Storm on top at 71-53 with 4:54 left. SNU matched its biggest lead of the night at 73-55 before cruising the rest of the way to remain unbeaten inside Sawyer this season.