Game Time...Northwestern College will play in the Defenders Thanksgiving Classic this weekend, Nov. 24-25, in Sioux Center, Iowa. The fifth-ranked Red Raiders will face Trinity Christian on Friday at 6pm and will then play Fisk (Tenn.) on Saturday at 4pm. All games will be played at the DeWitt Gymnasium.

No. 5 Northwestern owns a 7-0 record heading into the Classic, matching its best start since the 2011-12 season. Trinity Christian is 3-5 overall and Fisk is 5-2 so far this season.

Both games can be seen via the Dordt College webcast at this link: Watch Now!  Live Stats!

Both games can be heard via the KSOU broadcast at this link: Listen Now!

All-Time...Northwestern is 5-0 all-time against Trinity Christian, last playing the Trolls in 2013-14 at the Red Raider Classic. This will be the first ever match-up for the Red Raiders against Fisk. 

Scouting Reports...

    Trinity Christian Trolls:  0-3 (CCAC), 3-5 overall         Head Coach: Brandon Nicol (7th year)

Trinity Christian has dropped four straight games since opening the 2017-18 season with a 3-1 record. A non-conference loss to Grace Bible followed by setbacks to Governors State (Ill.), Robert Morris (Ill.) and Cardinal Stritch (Wis.), all in CCAC play, put the Trolls' record at 3-5 heading into the weekend. Last time out, they lost to 58-44 to Cardinal Stritch at home on Nov. 21, scoring just 20 points in the second half. 

Coach Nicol, in his seventh season on the TCC sideline, returns two starters and six players from 2016-17 team that finished tied for 13th in the 15-team Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) at 7-14, 12-17 overall. They were tied for sixth in the seven-team South Division of the league. 

By the Numbers: (NAIA Rank-if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 69ppg (13th)
    Scoring Defense: 68ppg (3rd)
    Field Goal Percentage: 48% (3rd)
    3pt Percentage: 36% (9th), 64 3pters (10th)
    Free Throw Percentage: 67% (12th)
    Rebound Margin: -1 (8th)

Top Players:  (NAIA Rank-if top 10) * returning starter
    *Caleb Jonkman  18.6ppg (6th), 26 3pters (1st), 5.8rpg
    *Juczas Balciunas  14.8ppg, 12 3pters, 3.4rpg
    Nari Garrett  14.0ppg, 7.5rpg, 64% FG (3rd)
    Nate Hurt  7.9ppg, 2.9rpg, 12 3pters
   
    Fisk University Bulldogs: 1-1 (AII), 5-2       Head Coach: Larry Glover

After losing its first game of the season to Voorhees (S.C.), Fisk went on a five-game win streak, earning wins over Tennessee Wesleyan, Cumberland (Tenn.), Wilberforce (Ohio), Brescia (Ky.) and Bethel (Tenn.). They were then defeated by Indiana University-East 103-91 just before the Thanksgiving break to move to 5-2 on the year.

The Bulldogs are an NAIA Institution who plays in the Association of Independent Institutions (AII) league. Coach Glover returns two starters and seven players from a 2016-17 squad that finished with a 4-25 overall record. 

By the Numbers: (NAIA Rank-if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 77.3ppg
    Scoring Defense: 74.4ppg
    Field Goal Percentage: 48% 
    3pt Percentage: 36%, 53 3pters 
    Free Throw Percentage: 60%
    Rebound Margin: +7

Top Players:  (NAIA Rank-if top 10) * returning starter
    El Paso Pitts  12.3ppg, 4.8rpg, 23 3pters, 43% 3pt
    Tyran Davis  10.5ppg, 4.6rpg, 26 assists, 10 steals
    Ryainni Scott  10.3ppg, 3.3rpg, 60% FG
    Montreal Nabors  9.4ppg, 4.1rpg 13 steals

    No.5 Northwestern College Red Raiders: 2-0 (GPAC), 7-0    Head Coach: Kris Korver (18th year)

Ranked fifth in the NAIA D-II coaches' preseason poll, Northwestern owns a 7-0 record, matching its best start since the 2011-12 season. They defeated Hastings last time out, 78-62, on the road Tuesday night in GPAC play. 

By the Numbers: (Conf. Rank / NAIA Rank-if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 95ppg (1st/7th)
    Scoring Defense: 75ppg (3rd)
    Field Goal Percentage: 52% (1st/7th)
    3pt Percentage: 45% (1st/4th), 79 3pters (2nd/9th)
    Free Throw Percentage: 82% (1st/2nd)
    Rebound Margin: +7 (2nd)

Top Players:  (Conf. Rank / NAIA Rank-if top 10)  *returning starter
    *Colton Kooima-All-American, 3x All-GPAC; 25ppg (1st/5th), 26 3pters (1st/8th), 27 assists (7th)
    *Nathan Wedel-2x All-Conference; 18ppg (6th), 60% (3rd) 6.6rpg
     Derek Buysse- All-Conference; 16.6ppg, 18 3pters, 3.4rpg
    *Riley Francis-All-Conference; 14.9ppg, 4.4rpg, 12 3pters (43% 3pt)
    
Other Notes...
    Northwestern has held the edge on the boards in five of the seven games played; four straight

    Red Raiders have shot better than their opponent in all but one game (vs Jamestown)

    Northwestern has made 10+ three-pointers in all but one game (Doane); has made more three-pointers than their opponent in all but one game (Peru State)

    Kooima needs to make two three-pointers to move into a tie for third place all-time at NW' has 248 made 3pters, Ben Gereleman w/ 250...Curt Schilling would be next w/ 253.