No.15 Northwestern College lost for the first time in conference play 76-65 to No.10 Morningside tonight at the Rosen Verdoorn/Allee Gym in a match-up between ranked teams.

The Red Raiders slip to 2-1 in the GPAC, 5-4 overall, while Morningside stays unbeaten in conference play (4-0) and improve to 9-2 overall. 

Darbi Gustafson led all players with 19 points and pulled down a career-best 17 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season. Kassidy De Jong netted 17 points and nine boards, followed by Haley Birks with 10 points and nine rebounds. 

How It Happened...

After falling behind 7-3 early, Northwestern scored the next seven points to take its only lead, 10-7, on a three-pointer by Sammy Blum with four minutes left in the first quarter

Morningside responded in a big way, scoring the final 13 points of the quarter, nine by way of three-pointers by Madison Braun (2) and Mady Maly (1), for a 20-10 lead.

The Mustangs' run continued throughout the second quarter as the hosts duplicated the score from the first period, taking a 40-20 lead at the half; Northwestern had a hard time scoring, shooting 30% over the first 20 minutes and going 1/8 from the three-point line

Another Braun three-pointer at the start of the second half gave the Mustangs their largest lead (45-20) but the Red Raiders found their groove on the offensive end, outscoring the hosts 21-11 the rest of the way to get within 15 (56-41) by quarters end.

A three-pointer by De Jong put the Red Raiders within six (59-53) at the six-minute mark and a three-point play by Gustafson made it still a seven-point game with four minutes left. Northwestern, however, did not get any closer and Morningside went 10/10 from the free throw line over the final two minutes.

By the Numbers...

Northwestern was held to a season-low 35% field goal percentage for the game, well below its average on the season of 48%; the Red Raiders went 5-for-17 from the three-point line (29%); Morningside shot 46% from the field and 40% (10/25) from the arc.

Both teams were effective from the free throw line; Northwestern 14/17 (82%), Morningside 12/14 (86%)

Outrebounded by four (21-17) in the first half, Northwestern turned the rebound margin in its favor in the second half, owning a 42-37 edge on the boards for the game; Northwestern had 13 offensive rebounds and has outrebounded its opponents in six consecutive games

Turnovers were a non-factor; Northwestern with 12, Morningside 11

Gustafson has scored in double figures in every game this season and has a team-high six 20-point games; the junior also leads the team with four double-doubles

Like Gustafson, De Jong has scored in double figures in every game this season; the junior passed Patty (Olson) Wright (1981-85) for 19th place in career scoring with 1,219pts

Birks has scored 10+ points in five games

Morningside was led in scoring by Madison Braun with 18pts; Sierra Mitchell scored 16 and Sydney Hupp came up with a double-double, 12 points and 15 rebounds