BETHANY, Okla.—Southern Nazarene closed out the 2022 portion of their schedule with their sixth straight win on Monday night, taking down William Jewell 60-40 inside the Sawyer Center.
Southern Nazarene (8-2, 4-0 GAC) used stifling defense all night as they completely shut down the William Jewell (6-7, 3-2 GLVC) offense. Coming into the contest, the Cardinals were averaging 72 points per game on 9 made threes per game. The Crimson Storm stopped everything that William Jewell tried, limiting them to just 40 points and 3 made shots from the outside.
Once again, SNU jumped out to a fast start. They never trailed and built an 11-2 lead after allowing just one Cardinal field goal in the first eight and a half minutes of the game. The lead eventually swelled to 18 points in the first half, but Jewell closed the half on a 5-0 run to bring the halftime score to 29-16.
The Cardinals were able to get back within single-digits once in the second half after a 7-0 run brought the score to 44-35, but SNU then closed the game on a big 16-5 run to seal the victory. They led by as many as 22 points with three minutes remaining, allowing coach Adam Bohac to sub out his starters and clear the bench for the final couple of minutes of the game.
The Crimson Storm forced 17 turnovers in the game, converting those turnovers into 19 points. Their defense has now forced at least 14 turnovers in each of the last 4 games.
It was a full team effort on the offensive end as four different players scored in double-figures. Javon Jackson again led the way with 16 points, scoring 11 of those points in the second half. He also added 3 steals.
Nick Davis, Adokiye Iyaye, and Tyler McGhie all added 11 points each. Davis also hauled in 7 rebounds, while McGhie dished out 3 assists.
Jalen Lynn anchored the strong defensive performance and added 8 points on the offensive end.
The win puts a cap on the 2022 portion of SNU's schedule as they carry a six game winning streak into the new year. They sit atop the GAC standings as the only remaining unbeaten team in conference play. The Crimson Storm will return to action on January 5th as they host Ouachita Baptist. SNU has won four straight over the Tigers. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. following the women's game on Thursday, January 5th, inside the Sawyer Center.
