Big First Half Helps Lift Eagles Over Quest
KIRKLAND, Wash. - Northwest University used a 45-18 first half to build a big lead as they cruised to a 67-42 non-league win over Quest University of Squamish, B.C.
Quest would stay close to NU in the early part of the first half, but after Theo VandenEkart’s lay-in would make it 21-17 at the 10:33 mark, Northwest would heat up and go on a 22-0 run, as back-to-back 3-pointers by Thomas Jordan and Brandyn Winkley would give the Eagles a 43-17 lead with 58 seconds left in the half. Nemanja Grujicic would get to the basket for a lay-in with one second on the clock as NU would lead by 27 at the break.
Northwest U would maintain the lead the entire second half and Dak Shagren’s jumper with 5:19 to go in the game would give the Eagles their largest lead at 62-32 as NU would go on to post their 9
th win of the season.
Northwest U (9-4) was led by Nemanja Grujicic (Ratkovo, Serbia) with 20 points, 7 rebounds and teammate Dak Shagren (Custer, Wash.) added 14 points and 4 assists. Paul Loranger (Maple Valley, Wash.) came off the bench to score 9 points, grab 8 rebounds and block 3 Quest shots. The Eagles shot 45% for the game. The taller NU held a big advantage on the rebounding with a 43-25 margin.
Two Americans from the area, Dallas Searles (Kirkland, Wash.) led Quest (7-4) with 11 points and Theo VandenEkart (Sultan, Wash.) added 13 points and 5 rebounds for the team from B.C.
"I was pleased with our effort tonight as we played a little shorthanded with two players out and one playing under the weather," said John Van Dyke, NU head coach. "We had others step up and give us a lift like Paul Loranger coming off the bench to really contribute on both ends of the court. We'll get prepared for our opportunity to face some division one competition in Seattle U on Monday."
Northwest U will now head to Seattle on Monday night for an exhibition with Seattle University in the Connolly Center on the SU campus.