Box Score FULLERTON, Calif. – The Northwest University women overcame a 9 point halftime deficit to defeat No. 23 Hope International, 73-71, in a non-conference game tonight.

The Eagles kept things close for most of the first half. Charity Degman's free throw with 6:14 remaining pulled NU to within one, 28-27. With HIU leading 31-29 at the 4:56 mark, Brittany Bauman's jumper would be the catalyst for a 15-2 run by Hope as Taylor Hixon would sink a free throw to make it, 46-33 with 57 seconds left in the half. Jordan Asher and Brianna Fiso would score for NU cutting into the HIU lead and ending the half trailing the Royals 46-37.

HIU would hold a 50-46 lead on Northwest at the 14:58 after  NU's Brianna Fiso's jumper. Charmaine Bradford would hit a short jumper and Fiso would score again to tie the game at 50-50 with 14 minutes to go in the game. Jordan Asher would come up with a big 3-pointer with 9:05 to go to give the Eagles a 60-57 lead which they would maintain until Krystal Canning two free throws would knot the score once again at 62-62. HIU would take a brief lead, but Charmaine Bradford would tie it once again at 64-all at the 4 minute mark and Paige Burson would give NU the lead for good with her jumper with 3:22 showing on the clock. With 1:19 to go, Perry Alexis would pull HIUM to within 2, 73-71 and after exchanging misses, Emily Terwillger would have a chance to tie the game with 39 seconds on the clock, but she would miss two straight free throws.  HIU would have one more shot to tie after NU missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 9 seconds , but following a timeout, Perry Alexis would drive the length of the court and miss a 10 footer in the lane as the buzzer sounded.

Northwest U (3-0) was led by Brianna Fiso's 12 points and 7 rebounds. Jordan Asher and Paige Burson added 11 points each with Asher adding 7 assist and 8 rebounds for the game. Chanara Greene added 10 points and 6 rebounds as the Eagles shot 38% for the game. NU struggled from the free throw line hitting just 6 of 17 attempts for 35% and going 29% on 2 for 7 shooting in the second half.

Brittany Bauman led Hope International (2-2)  with 19 points while teammate Krystal Canning finished with 17 points and 8 rebounds for the Royals. Alexis Perry added 10 points and 8 rebounds. HIU shot 39% for the game and got outrebounded by Northwest, 50-40.

"Great team win tonight," said Ken Crawford, NU head coach. "We battled through some adversity against a very good Hope International team and I'm plesed because we continue to grow,omprove and we continue to learn."


Northwest U now heads to La Mirada to play Biola University on Saturday at 3:00 p.m.