PORTLAND, Ore.  – The Stretch Internet NAIA Division II Game of the Week certainly lived up to its billing on Saturday night as No. 24 Warner Pacific pulled of the upset, defeating No. 8 Northwest Christian 78-72. The game came down to the wire as the Knights held on for the win, ending NCU's 16-game winning streak in the process.
 
NCU took early control of the game, jumping out to a 17-8 lead less than four minutes into the ball game. They stretched the lead to 40-25 with 5:51 to go in the first half before WPC began to charge.
 
The Knights closed out the half on a 15-4 run to pull within four points at the break. The home team took their first lead with 15:38 remaining and claimed the lead for good with 11:17 to play. WPC went on to lead by as many as nine, but a late Beacon charge made it a 76-72 game with 47 seconds to play.
 
After a defensive stop, NCU was unfruitful on their next possession and forced to foul. One final possession also resulted in no points as time ran out.
 
The Beacons (23-5, 16-2 CCC) was led once again by Javonte Byrd (pictured), scoring 19 points as he shot 5-for-11 from three-point range. Omar Richards added 15 points and Jack Hackman scored 10. Jay Mayernik led the team with nine rebounds, but NCU was beat out on the glass, 41-37.
 
Warner Pacific (19-8, 14-4) got 25 points from Taylor Young and 15 from Earl Jones. Collin Malcolm added 12 and Xavier Cannefax scored 11 for the victors.
 
NCU will head into the final weekend of the regular season tied for first in the CCC with No. 14 Southern Oregon University who held serve on Sunday afternoon to complete a weekend sweep to improve to an identical 23-5 overall record. The teams will square off in the Morse Event Center on Friday night with the winner claiming at least a share of the CCC regular season championship.