A late Dakota Wesleyan rally proved to be too much as Northwestern lost to the visiting Tigers 78-75 in a GPAC match-up played this afternoon at the Bultman Center. 

Haley Birks led Northwestern with 19 points, six rebounds and two blocked shots while Darbi Gustafson netted 16 points to go with four boards. Renee Maneman (11) and Paige Danner (10) were also in double figures for NWC.

Northwestern drops to 4-6 in the GPAC,12-6 overall, while DWU improves to 6-2 in the GPAC, 15-2 overall.

How It Happened...

Dakota Wesleyan was in control early, getting out to a 15-5 lead with 2:30 left in the first quarter. Consecutive three-pointers by Paige Herrboldt and Birks helped Northwestern close the gap to 20-15 by quarters end.

Another basket by Birks gave Northwestern its first lead, 24-23, early in the second quarter. The hosts outscored DWU 25-15 in the quarter and led by as much as nine (40-31) with a minute left. Northwestern led 40-35 at the half.

Dakota Wesleyan scored the first six points of the second half and led by one (41-40) but Northwestern stormed back with a 15-5 run, capped by a floater by Kassidy De Jong, to match its largest lead, 55-46. 

Down 59-51 at the start of the fourth, Dakota Wesleyan began the quarter with an 11-2 run and held a 62-61 advantage. The lead switched hands five more times over the final six minutes, until, with Northwestern up three (75-72), Dakota Wesleyan scored the final eight points to get the come-from-behind win.

By the Numbers...

Northwestern shot 45% for the game, 41% (7/17) from the three-point line; Dakota Wesleyan shot 50% for the game, 38% (8/21) from the three-point line.

Both teams made 14 free throws; DWU shot 88% (14/16) from the charity stripe; NW shot 41% (14/24) from the free throw line.

Northwestern held a slight edge (36-33) on the boards, including a 14-8 advantage on the offensive boards.

Maneman dished out five assists and moved into sole possession of sixth place with 407 assists, passing Jaime (Hoegh) Van Kley

Birks scored in double figures for 12th time this season

Gustafson reached double figures for the 10th straight game and for the 12th time this season

Ashley Bray led all players with 27 points and nine rebounds; Bray went 5-for-8 from the three-point line