Alva Review-Courier -

BETHANY, Okla. — For the first time in the 10 years under Head Coach Adam Bohac, No. 21 Southern Nazarene has won 10 straight home games after an 82-73 win over Northwestern Oklahoma State Thursday night.

The Crimson Storm (11-1, 8-0 GAC) have won seven straight at home to open the 2017-18 season and won their final three home games of last season. The last loss inside the Sawyer Center last year came in a 67-64 loss to Northwestern. The win tonight over the Rangers (9-3, 5-2 GAC) also snapped a three-game skid against NWOSU.

Three players were in double figures and two more needed just a point each for five players to reach double figures. Jhonathan Dunn led the way with 20 points and four rebounds. He went 8-for-13 from the floor and 2-for-4 from 3-point range. The sophomore scored 14 in the second half as he was 5-for-6 from the field.

Noah Starkey added 19 points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block. He was 6-for-11 from the floor and 7-for-8 at the line. Micah Speight was the final player in double figures with 15 points. He also had five rebounds, four assists and two steals. Chris Stephens and R.J. Palmer each had nine points as well. Palmer assisted with over half of the Storm's 17 off of the bench.

SNU shot over 50 percent from the field for the ninth time this year and the third straight game. The Storm were 28-for-53 from the floor and 5-for-11 from 3-point range. After shooting just 47.1 percent from the charity stripe in its final game of 2017, SNU has shot over 80 percent from the line in each of its last three games, including a 21-for-26 effort Thursday night.

Southern Nazarene dominated the paint as it outscored the Rangers 40-26 in the lane. The Rangers shot 47.1 percent from the field and were 9-for-17 from beyond the arc. Northwestern though was just 16-for-26 at the line.

Southern Nazarene opened the game on a 22-12 run and built the lead to 16 on two different occasions. SNU led 36-20 with 5:23 left in the first half, but the Rangers used a 10-2 run to cut it to eight. The Storm took a 42-32 lead at the half, and built it to 48-32 early in the second half before stretching it to 62-41. That was their biggest lead of the game with 12:11 remaining. The Rangers answered with a 22-7 run to cut it to 69-63 with 5:23 left.

Northwestern cut it to six again at 71-65 with 4:48 left, but SNU went on a 13-5 run, capped by a pair of Zach Johnson free throws, to lead 82-68 with 51 seconds left to seal it.