Colton Kooima poured in a game-high 33 points and Nathan Wedel scored 18 of his 23 points in the second half in leading No.4 Northwestern College to a 103-83 win over No.12 Dakota Wesleyan in a GPAC showdown between ranked teams. 

Northwestern remains unbeaten at home (11-0) and improves to 8-1 in the GPAC at the halfway point of the conference schedule. They are 18-2 overall. Dakota Wesleyan drops to 6-2 in the GPAC, 15-5 overall. 

Kooima went 13-for-22 from the field and a perfect 6-6 from the free throw line, scoring 30+ points for the third time this season and for the seventh time in his career. Wedel set a new season high with a 23-point effort, converting 9-of-16 field goal attempts, and helped carry the Red Raiders offense in the second half. Jordan Baker netted 13 and Derek Buysse added 11 giving Norhwestern four players in double figures.

 

How It Happened...

Dakota Wesleyan stormed out to a 24-19 lead, making six of its first seven three-point attempts, after six minutes of play. Kooima and Chris Borchers combined to score the next eight points giving the Red Raiders their first lead, 27-24, at the midway point of the opening half. 

After DWU grabbed the lead back (28-27), Northwestern went on a 7-0 run, capped by a jumper by Kooima, to take a six-point lead, 34-28. The Red Raiders built their lead up to 10 twice over the final four-plus minutes and led by eight, 48-40, at the break.

Northwestern extended its lead to 14 following a basket and two free throws by Jordan Baker but was unable to break the game open as the lead stayed within 10-14 points over the first 10 minutes of the second half. Up 82-68 at the 10-minute mark, Dakota Wesleyan outscored Northwestern 15-5 to get within four (87-83) following a three-pointer by Kaleb Johnson and a jumper by Tate Martin with five minutes left. 

The Red Raiders then closed the game with a 16-5 run to put the game away, holding DWU to just two baskets over the final five minutes.

By the Numbers...

Northwestern shot 55% for the game but 21% (4-of-19) from beyond the arc; Dakota Wesleyan shot 51% for the game and 44% (14/32) from the three-point line.

The Red Raiders held a commanding 45-21 edge on the boards, including a 15-2 advantage on the offensive glass. 

With his 33-point effort, Kooima is now in 20th place all-time in the career scoring list, passing Zack Leeper (1,366) and Walker Seim (1,369). 

Baker passed both Cody Kuipers (1,295) and Kirk TeGrootenhuis (1,300) and is in 24th place all-time with 1,306 career points

Justin Van Kalsbeek led the Red Raiders with 10 boards; his third game this season with 10+ rebounds

Baker pulled down eight rebounds and passed both Tony Krogman (803) and tied Greg Bosch (807) for seventh place all-time in career rebounding

Dakota Wesleyan was led by Ty Hoglund with 22 points; 21 for Tate Martin and 19 for Jason Spicer.