Box Score

Northwestern College used a big first quarter scoring run to pull away and defeat Viterbo 81-41 in the final game of the Dordt Holiday Classic played this afternoon in Sioux Center, Iowa. 

The Red Raiders earned their second straight win and improved to 11-5 on the year. Viterbo falls to 2-16.

Darbi Gustafson netted a game-high 21 points and both Paige Danner and Anna Kiel scored 18 as the Red Raiders shot 53% for the game. Gustafson ripped down 11 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the season and eight game with 10+ boards. Renee Maneman grabbed nine rebounds to go with eight assists and four points. 

How It Happened...

Down 6-3, Northwestern scored the next nine points, four by Kiel, to take a 12-6 lead. The Red Raiders continued their run, closing the first quarter in total on a 22-1 run for a 25-7 advantage after the first 10 minutes. Northwestern held Viterbo without a field goal over the final seven-plus minutes. 

Another Northwestern surge, a 9-2 run capped by jumpers by Kiel and Paige Herrboldt, put the Red Raiders in front by 24 (39-15) just before the break. They led 41-17 at halftime.

Gustafson and Danner combined for 22 points as Northwestern outscored Viterbo 28-11 in the third quarter to put the game away. Danner knocked down a pair of three-pointers and Gustafson made three straight baskets in transition for NWC to spark the rally and take a 69-28 lead at the end of the third.

A three-pointer by Haley Birks gave Northwestern its largest lead, 79-35, with just under five minutes left in the game. All 11 Red Raiders played at least four minutes in the final period.

By the Numbers...

Northwestern shot 53% for the game, 46% (6/13) from beyond the arc. 

Red Raiders outrebounded Viterbo 42-34; dished out 23 assists and seven different players had at least one assist

Northwestern improved to 5-0 all-time against Viterbo

Gustafson has scored in double figures in eight straight games and in 10 games overall this season

Gustafson leads the GPAC with six double-doubles

Danner matched her season high with three three-pointers; Birks also made a season high three three-pointers, one shy of her career best

Kiel poured in a career-best 18 points in her second game as a Red Raider

Viterbo shot 26% for the game and committed 19 turnovers compared to 12 for NWC

Alyssa Nilssen led the V-Hawks with 14 points and eight rebounds