Game Time...10th-ranked Northwestern College plays host to #13 Morningside in a key GPAC match-up Wednesday night, Jan. 24. Tip-off at the Bultman Center is scheduled for 6pm. Northwestern has won a season high seven consecutive games, 10 of its last 11, to move up to second in the current GPAC standings with a 10-2 record, 15-5 overall. Morningside is tied with both Dakota Wesleyan and Hastings for third place in the GPAC standings with a 10-3 record, 17-6 overall. 

Follow the game live via the NWC webcast at this link: Watch Now!

All-Time...The Red Raiders are 30-47 all-time against Morningside, 4-6 over the last 10 match-ups. Earlier this year, Northwestern lost to the Mustangs 76-65 on Nov.29 in Sioux City. 

Last Time vs Morningside...The Red Raiders could not overcome a 20-point halftime deficit in falling to Morningside 76-65 in a match-up between ranked teams. The host Mustangs outscored NW 13-0 to take a 20-10 first quarter lead and led 40-20 by halftime. Northwestern fought back to get as close as six (59-53) with six minutes left to play but could not get closer.

Darbi Gustafson scored 19 points and pulled down a career-high 17 rebounds to lead NWC. Kassidy De Jong added 17 points and nine boards and Haley Birks chipped in 10 points and nine rebounds. 

Morningside was led by Madison Braun with 18 points, draining four three-pointers, and Sierra Mitchell netted 16. 

    Game Recap | 

Scouting Reports...

    No.13 Morningside College: 10-3 (T3rd GPAC), 17-6 overall          Head Coach: Jamie Sale (17th year)

   Since dropping three consecutive games around the start of the new year, Morningside has won four straight to move into a tie for third place in the current GPAC standings with a 10-3 record. They have wins over Dordt, Doane, Mount Marty and Midland during their streak. The Mustangs have lost to Hastings, Dakota Wesleyan and Concordia in GPAC play.

   Coach Sale, now in his 17th season on the Mustangs' bench, has won four NAIA D-II Championships and is the all-time winningest coach in program history, owning  a 79% win percentage. He is 444-116 all-time at Morningside and 14 20+ win seasons. Sale returns two starters and seven players from a 2016-17 team that finished 24-9, losing in the second round on the NAIA Championship to C. of Ozarks.

    By the Numbers: (GPAC rank / NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 81.8ppg (3rd / 8th)
    Scoring Defense: 68.8ppg (5th)
    Field Goal Percentage: 43% (4th)
    3pt Percentage: 35% (5th) 248 3pters (2nd / 2nd)
    Free Throw Percentage: 76% (3rd)
    Rebound Margin: +1 (6th)

Top Players: (GPAC rank/NAIA rank-if top 10) *returning starter
    *Madison Braun (3x All-Conference)  19ppg (1st), 86 3pters (1st/2nd), 4rpg
     Sydney Hupp - 13.1ppg, 7.4rpg (6th), 23 blocks
     Sierra Mitchell - 11.8ppg, 54 3pters (6th), 1.9rpg, 40 assists
     Jordyn Moser - 5.9pppg, 1.7rpg, 79 assists (5th)

No.10 Northwestern College: 10-2 (2nd), 15-5 (7 straight)    Head Coach: Chris Yaw (7th year)

The Red Raiders have won a season-high seven straight games, 10 of their last 11, to move into sole possession of second place in the GPAC standings with a 10-2 record, 15-5 overall. They have climbed into the NAIA D-II top 10 for the first time since the final coaches' poll in 2013-14 when they finished third. Northwestern is 15-5 overall, with all five losses to teams ranked in the top 25.

By the Numbers: (GPAC rank / NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 77.3ppg (4th)
    Scoring Defense: 65ppg (4th)
    Field Goal Percentage: 48% (2nd /3rd)
    3pt Percentage: 34% (7th)
    Free Throw Percentage: 75% (4th)
    Rebound Margin: +7 (3rd)

Top Players: (GPAC rank / NAIA rank-if top 10) *returning starter
    *Kassidy De Jong (All-American) 18ppg (2nd), 7.6rpg (4th), 33 assists
     *Darbi Gustafson (All-Conference)  14.7ppg, 7.9rpg (2nd), 58% (3rd)
     Anna Kiel (All-Conference)  15.5ppg (6th), 67% FG, 5.2rpg
    *Renee Maneman  (All-Conference) 9.4ppg, 3.9rpg, 167 assists (1st /1st)
     *Haley Birks (All-Conference) 89ppg, 4.3rpg    
     *Paige Danner  7.3ppg, 31 3pters, 36% 3pt FG (9th)