Colton Kooima poured in a career-high 43 points and Northwestern held off a furious Midland comeback to defeat the Warriors 83-81 in a GPAC match-up played today on senior day. 

With the win, Northwestern takes sole possession of first place in the GPAC with a 13-4 record, 23-5 overall, with one game left in the regular season. Midland slips to 11-5 in the conference, 19-8 overall.

Kooima made 15-of-25 field goal attempts and drained all nine free throw attempts en route to the highest single game scoring output since Brandon Jacobson poured in 43 vs USF in 2002. Derek Buysse added 17 points, 13 in the second half, and was the only other Red Raider who scored in double figures. 

How It Happened...

Northwestern led for all but one minute of a close, competitive first half; a three-point play by Midland forward Alex Starkel gave the Warriors at two-point lead (12-10) at the 14:40 mark. 

The Red Raiders quickly tied the game at 14, and, still tied at 16, Kooima connected on a four-point play an scored the game's next eight points to give NWC a 24-16 lead. 

Northwestern extended its lead to as much as nine (31-22) before a Midland comeback made it a two-point game, 38-36, on consecutive baskets by Washawn Watson and Chase Parsons.

Riley Francis drained a long three-pointer and two Buysse free throws put Northwestern in front by seven, 43-36, at the half. 

With Northwestern leading by five (50-45) at the 15-minute mark, a Kooima three-pointer sparked a 12-0 run to give the Red Raiders a 62-47 advantage. Moments later, Buysse drained a three-pointer to put the hosts in front 67-47 at the 10-minute mark. 

Midland, however, made its next six field goal attempts, five of which were three-pointers as the Warriors charged back with a 27-9 run to make it a two-point game, 76-74. Parson drained three of the long-range bombs and Damon Overton knocked down a pair of three-pointers during the stretch.

A free throw by Starkel put Midland within one (78-77) with 2:18 left; Kooima however drained four straight free throws to put Northwestern back in front by five (82-77). Midland responded by scoring the next four points and forced a NWC turnover with 13 seconds left but an Overton jumper was off the mark and Francis pulled down the game-clinching rebound with less than a second left. 

By the Numbers...

Northwestern shot 53% for the game, 40% (8/20) from the three-point line; Midland shot 39% from the field, 50% (11/22) from beyond the arc. 

Midland held the edge from the free throw line, making 18-of-24 compared to 13-of-17 for NWC.

Northwestern controlled the boards 41-32 but gave up 11 offensive rebounds to the Warriors.

Kooima has scored 40+ points twice in his career and 30+ points 11x; the junior was six points shy of the single game record of 49 held by Alan Visser

Kooima moved into 15th place in the all-time scoring list with 1,616 career points, passing Kale Wiertzema (2005-09) who netted 1,576.

Jordan Baker scored six and pulled down 13 rebounds, his third game with 10+ rebound this season and 28th for his career.

Midland was led by Parson with 29 points and Overton (12) and McKinley (10) were also in double figures