Northwestern College outscored No.22 Vanguard 29-18 over the final 11 minutes to earn an 84-82 come-from-behind win in a match-up between ranked teams played tonight at the Bill Reynolds Holiday Classic in Costa Mesa, Calif. The Red Raiders improve to 13-2 on the year and snap the Lions' five-game win streak, dropping them to 9-3 on the season.

With the Red Raiders down 64-55 after a three-pointer by Lions guard Connor Kennedy at the 11-minute mark, Northwestern went on a 14-2 run to grab its second lead of the game, 69-67, on a basket by Nathan Wedel. Following a Vanguard three-pointer by Brandon Brothers, Northwestern scored the next 10 points, finished off with back-to-back three-pointers by Derek Buysse for a 79-70 advantage with 4:25 left to go.

Another basket by Wedel put the Red Raiders in front 83-76 but Vanguard got back to within two (84-82) with a 6-1 run and had possession after forcing a turnover with 22 second left. The Lions missed on three attempts to tie it over the final seconds as Northwestern won its fourth straight game.

Riley Francis was high scorer with 20 points and seven rebounds, one of four Red Raiders to score in double figures. Buysse scored all 18 of his points from beyond the arc and both Colton Kooima (17) and Nathan Wedel (16) were also in double figures. Northwestern was outrebounded (35-29) for just the third time this season and was led by Buysse with 10 boards, his second double-double of the season. Francis pulled down seven rebounds and dished out six assists.

Northwestern shot 57% for the game, 47% (14/30) from beyond the arc and went 8-for-12 from the free throw line. 

Vanguard stormed out to a 17-5 lead, getting a pair of three-pointers fro Shacquille Dawkins, over the first five minutes. A Kooima lay-up capped a 15-6 Northwestern run to get within three (23-20) at the 10-minute mark but the host Lions pushed their lead back to double-digits by halftime, 47-36. 

After the Lions scored the opening basket of the second half to push the lead to 13, Northwestern began a 13-2 spurt and trailed by just two (51-49) after a lay-up by Spencer Pauley. Two free throws by Jamaal Lee put Vanguard in front by nine (61-52), setting up the Red Raiders comeback.

The Lions shot 45% for the game and were held to 35% in the second half. Lee led Vanguard with 15 points, followed by Dawkins and Connor Griffin with 14 points each.

Notes...

    Colton Kooima moved into fourth place all-time in career scoring, passing Curt Schilling (2004-08); Kooima pushed his career total to 2,096

    Derek Buysse moved up to 18th place for career three-pointers with 128; Buysse passed Jarrod Heinz (1996-99)