LACEY, Wash. – Cole Preston's 22 points and Brandon Kenilvort's double-double lifted Saint Martin's University over Northwest Nazarene, 90-81, on Senior Night in front of the largest crowd inside the Marcus Pavilion all season.  

The Saints (14-10, 8-8 GNAC) never trailed at any point in the game, starting the game strong on 19-5 run, capped-off by back-to-back 3-Pointers from Rhett Baerlocher. SMU's lead extended to 22-7 before the Crusaders (11-11, 8-8) countered with an 11-2 run and cut the score to 24-16 with 10:01 left in the first half.

The Saints never allowed NNU to creep any closer and answered back with a trey from Tyler Copp, who surpassed the 1,000 career point mark on the shot. SMU finished the half a basket from Kenilvort and free throws by Preston, taking the 50-38 advantage into the locker room.

To begin the second half, Kenilvort, Preston and Copp each knocked down 3-Pointers, along with a basket from Jordan Kitchen, to give SMU a 63-38 lead. The lead reached a game-high 27 points, twice, after a layup from Trey Ingram rolled in with 14:20 remaining. NNU battled back in the game, after hitting baskets from Jordan Bezzant and Maurice Jones, who trimmed the score to nine but ultimately fell 90-81.

"This was a special night. The crowd was into it from the tip, and the guys put together a good performance against a very good and well coached NNU team. This was a great send off for our seniors" said head coach Alex Pribble. "Rhett really got us going in the first half, and Cole did a great job controlling the pace of the game. I thought the guys shared the ball very well most of the night. When we're making the extra pass, we're at our best".

Preston was one of five Saints to reach the double-digit mark, leading the way with 22 points on 6-12 shooting, along with seven assists. Copp finished the night with 18 points on 6-11 shooting and 3-5 from beyond the arc. Kenilvort ended the game with a double-digit, consisting of 11 points and 10 rebounds. Baerlocher and Ingram provided a key spark off the bench with 17 and 11 points respectively. Fred Jorg, the final senior, tallied four rebounds and assists along with two blocked shots.

SMU as a team shot the ball effectively, 33-66 (.500) from the field, 11-29 (.379) from deep and 12-25 (.591) at the charity stripe. The Saints padded the stat sheet with 37 rebounds, 17 assists, nine steals and five blocked shots.

"Tyler Copp made some big shots for us tonight. He joined the 1,000-point scorer club early in the game and he didn't lose any focus, he just stayed aggressive and played his game" said Pribble. "Tyler has really earned the success he's having. He deserves it, I'm really proud of him".

Up Next: The Saints do not have much time off as they travel up to Seattle Pacific University next Tuesday, Feb. 14 with a tip-off time of 7 p.m.

Comments about Seniors: "Brandon has made a tremendous impact on this program in his two years. His skill and toughness make him difficult to matchup with on the court, but it is his work ethic and maturity that truly defines him. He is loved by his teammates, and will leave a lasting imprint on the culture of this basketball program."

"Cole is the consummate leader. He has been the leader of this team on the floor, and in the locker room, for the past two years, because he has earned the respect and trust of each one of his teammates. He is an elite basketball player, who separates himself with a high basketball IQ and tremendous passing ability, yet it is his maturity and selflessness has impacted this program the most."

"Fred is big in stature, and bigger in heart. He is a great teammate, and a crowd favorite. People love Fred because of his personality and his friendliness. He's extremely bright, earning his MBA from Saint Martin's with a 4.0, and he is going to be successful in whatever endeavor he chooses to take part in. Marcus Pavilion is at its loudest when big Fred is dominating the game."

"Tyler is a self-made basketball player, earning every minute of playing time, every 20-point performance, with hours and hours of hard work. He has passed on his work ethic to the younger players in our program, constantly leading our team by example. As a four-year player at Saint Martin's, he will leave his mark as one of the best."