Northwestern College dropped its second straight game, falling to (RV) Mayville State 88-81 in a non-conference game played today in Mayville, N.D. The Red Raiders are now 1-2 on the year and the Comets stay unbeaten, improving to 4-0. 

Kassidy De Jong poured in 21 points and grabbed 10 boards to lead the Red Raiders, one of six players who scored in double figures. Katie Vander Molen came off the bench to net a career-high 12 points, going 2-for-4 from beyond the arc. Both Darbi Gustafson and Renee Maneman scored 12 points as well. 

How It Happened...

Vander Molen capped an early 10-0 Northwestern run with a three-point play, putting the Red Raiders up 12-4. The Comets outscored NWC 11-4 over the final four-plus minutes to trim the lead to one, 16-15, by quarters end. 

Renee Maneman and Haley Birks scored five straight points to put the finishing touch on a 10-3 Northwestern run, putting the visitors back in front by six (26-20) at the 7-minute mark. Mayville State came back with a 10-2 run over the next three minutes and the teams traded baskets for the rest of the half, resulting in a MSU 39-37 advantage at the half. 

The Comets scored the first eight points of the second half, opening up their largest lead (51-39) on a basket by Naomi Torgerson. The Red Raiders managed to make it a four-point game by quarters end, 62-58, after three-pointers by both Paige Danner and Breana Schuiteman.

Mayville State pushed its lead back to 10 at three different times in the fourth quarter, the final one coming with six minutes to play after a putback by Andrea Skillingstand. Northwestern rallied for the final time and trailed by just three (84-81) on a basket by Vander Molen with 26 second left to go. With Northwestern forced to foul, Mayville State made all four of its free throw attempts to seal the win.

By the Numbers...

Northwestern shot 42% for the game, 27% (6/22) from the three-point line; Mayville State shot an even 50% for the game, 42% (11/26) from beyond the arc.

Mayville State had the edge at the free throw line, making 25-of-32 (78%); Northwestern went 15/19 (79%) from the line

Northwestern was outrebounded 39-36; had the edge on the offensive glass 12-7

De Jong scored 20+ for the second time this season, 25th of her career; De Jong now has 13 double-doubles for her career

Haley Birks (11pts) and Paige Danner (10pts) also scored in double figures

Andi Gayner netted a game-high 28 points and Joelle Ertl added 23, going 6-for-10 from beyond the arc.