Box Score

Northwestern College overcame a double-digit, second-half deficit to defeat Dordt College 83-78 in a conference match-up played tonight at the Bultman Center. Northwestern, ranked sixth in this week's NAIA D-II Coaches' poll, earned its 11th straight win and stayed unbeaten in the GPAC, improving to 5-0 and 11-1 overall. Dordt slipped to 0-3 in the conference, 6-6 overall. 

Colton Kooima scored 22 of his game-high 29 points in the second half to lead the Red Raiders comeback bid. Kooima went a perfect 9-for-9 from the free throw line and also pulled down seven rebounds. Riley Francis netted all 15 of his points from beyond the arc and Chris Borchers matched his career-high 12 points.

How It Happened...

Northwestern rode the hot shooting hand of both Francis and Borchers, who combined to score 11 points as the Red Raiders opened up a 16-9 advantage

Dordt charged back, however, behind a flurry of three-pointers by Marcus Winterfeld and Alex Henrickson to take a 12-point lead (41-29) after Winterfeld knocked down his fourth trifecta with three minutes left in the opening half.

Northwestern ended the half with a 7-2 surge and trailed by just seven (43-36) following a basket by Nathan Wedel.

A three-pointer by Kooima capped a 12-5 Northwestern run and tied the game at 48 in the opening minutes of the second half. Once again, Dordt had an answer as the Defenders continued to knock down perimeter shots combined by the inside game of Leighton Sampson to push the lead back to 10 (67-57) at the 11-minute mark.

Northwestern had one more run in them as well, outscoring Dordt 18-5 over a seven minute span, to take the lead for good, 75-70. Three-pointers by Borchers and Kooima coupled with a pair of putbacks by Van Kalsbeek provided the offense while the Northwestern defense held Dordt to just two baskets during the decisive run.

Dordt cut the lead down to one on two occasions over the final 2-plus minutes but Northwestern held off the Defenders, getting a basket by Jordan Baker and two free throws by Kooima to close the game.

By the Numbers...

Struggling from the field in the first half (38%), Northwestern shot a much better 55% over the final 20 minutes to improve to 46% for the game. Dordt was similar from the field, going 44% from the floor.

Both teams shot 40% from beyond the arc with the Defenders making one more three-pointer, 11-10, for the game

Tonight's match-up featured two of the top rebounding teams in the NAIA; Dordt held a slight edge, 40-39, in the glass; both teams pulled down 11 offensive boards

Kooima scored 20+ points for the eighth time this season

Francis has seven games with 10+ points and Borchers posted his first game in double figures this season

Justin Van Kalsbeek and Nathan Wedel both pulled down a game-high eight rebounds

Francis dished out a team-high three assists

Marcus Winterfeld led the Defenders with 22 points, one of four Dordt players in double figures; Alec Henrickson (20), Leighton Sampson (16) and Dalton Franken (10) were the other high scorers