Game Time...In one final tune-up before the GPAC opener this weekend, No.17 Northwestern College plays host to Grand View for a non-conference match-up Wednesday night. Tip-off at the Bultman Center is scheduled for 6pm.  Northwestern, ranked 17th in the NAIA D-II preseason coaches' poll, is 2-3 so far this season and Grand View is unbeaten (3-0) heading into Wednesday night. 

Follow the game live via the NWC webcast at the following link: Watch Now!

All-Time...Despite winning the last six match-ups, Northwestern still trails the all-time series, going 8-10 against the Vikings. The teams first played in the 1978-79 season and last met during the 2015-16 season, resulting in a 71-60 Red Raider win in Des Moines, Iowa.

Scouting Reports...

    Grand View Vikings:  3-0    co-Head Coaches: Garry Smith (18th year) Kelli Greenway (1st year)

The unbeaten Vikings have wins over Missouri Baptist, Stephens (Mo.) and Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.), outscoring opponents by 30 points in the three games. Long-time head coach Garry Smith, in his 18th and final season at Grand View, is joined on the bench by co-head coach Kelli Greenway, who will take over the program next year. They return one starter and five players from a 2016-17 team that finished eighth in the Heart of America Athletic Conference with an 11-15 record, 15-1 overall. 

Grand View, an NAIA D-I school, was picked to finish seventh out of 14 teams in the HAAC preseason coaches' poll.

By the Numbers: (NAIA rank in bold)
    Scoring Offense: 89ppg (3rd)
    Scoring Defense: 59.7ppg
    Field Goal Percentage: 54% (1st)
    3pt Percentage: 41%, (1st), 23 3pters 
    Free Throw Percentage: 69%
    Rebound Margin: +4

Top Players: (NAIA rank in bold)
    Payton Keeney-12ppg, 83% FG (1st), 2.7rpg
    Blair Silliman-10.7ppg, 7 3pters, 70% (1st) 3pt, 2.3rpg
    Bailee Arnburg-8.7ppg, 3.3rpg
    Jaci Stumpf-8.3ppg,11 assists
   
    No.17 Northwestern College: 2-3    Head Coach: Chris Yaw (7th year)

The Red Raiders went 1-1 at last weekend's Pizza Ranch Classic, played at home in the Bultman Center, defeating Presentation (S.D.) Friday night but losing a close match-up to No.4 Southeastern (Fla.) 80-75. All three of the Red Raider losses are to ranked teams and they also have a win over William Penn, another NAIA D-I school that plays in the HAAC, the same league as Grand View. 

By the Numbers: 
    Scoring Offense: 75ppg
    Scoring Defense: 70ppg
    Field Goal Percentage: 45%
    3pt Percentage: 31%, 27 3pters 
    Free Throw Percentage: 78%
    Rebound Margin: -1

Top Players:
    Kassidy De Jong: 19.6ppg, 6.2rpg, 10 assists
    Darbi Gustafson: 17.8ppg, 7rpg, 59% FG
    Paige Danner: 9.8ppg, 8 3pters, 33% 3pt, 7 assists
    Renee Maneman: 8.4ppg, 4.8rpg, 30 assists
    Haley Birks: 8.2ppg, 4.8rpg

Other Notes: 

Northwestern has shot better than its opponent in four of the five games this season

Red Raiders have shot better from the free throw line in all five games

Northwestern has outrebounded its opponents in two straight games

both Darbi Gustafson and Kassidy De Jong have scored in double figures in every game this season

De Jong ranks 24th all-time in career scoring with 1,147 points

Renee Maneman passed Becca (Hurley) Kramer for third place all-time with 538 career assists