Game Time... Northwestern College is set to open the 2018-19 season at Dakota State on Thursday night in Madison, S.D. Tip-off at the DSU Memorial Field House is set for 6pm. Northwestern, ranked eighth in the NAIA D-II Preseason Coaches' poll, was picked third in the GPAC Preseason poll and Dakota State, from the North Star Athletic Association, was picked to finish fourth in their preseason poll.

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All-Time...The Red Raiders lead the all-time series 18-11, dating back to the 1979-80 season, and have won six straight games in the rivalry. Northwestern is 9-1 over the last 10 match-ups, losing 85-81 during the 2008-09 season.The teams last played in the 2016-17 season opener that resulted in an 83-43 Red Raider win.

Scouting Reports...
    
    Dakota State: 0-0                    Head Coach: David Moe - 2nd year

Members of the North Star Athletic Association, Dakota State opens the 2018-19 season picked to finish fourth out of eight teams in the preseason coaches' poll. Moe returns one starter and three players from a 2017-18 team that finished fifth in the NSAA regular season with an 8-8 record, the most wins in conference play since the inception of the NSAA. They closed last season with a 12-19 record, losing to Mayville State in the conference quarterfinals. This year's roster features 15 players, 11 of which are freshmen.

Moe, in his second year as the head of the Lady T's program, spent 10 years as the top assistant at his alma mater, Mayville State.

    Last Year's Numbers:
    Offense PPG - 70.7
    Shooting % - 41%
    3pt % - 32%
    FT % - 75%
    Opponent PPG - 77.7
    Reb. Margin - +2
    3pters - 179 (6/game)

    Top Returners:
    Raven Patton - starter; 6.6ppg, 7.1rpg, 44 blocks
    Alexis Evans - 3.7ppg
    Cassie Hand - 18 3pters, 2.7ppg

Northwestern Notes:   0-0            Head Coach: Chris Yaw - 8th year

Picked third among 12 teams in the GPAC preseason coaches' poll, Northwestern opens the 2018-19 season ranked eighth in the NAIA preseason poll. Yaw begins his eighth season as the Red Raiders head coach, owning a 160-67 record and winning 70% of his games during his tenure. He has guided Red Raider teams to five 20+ win seasons and to five NAIA D-II National Championship appearances.

Yaw returns three starters and seven letterwinners from a 2017-18 team that finished the season ranked 11th in the final poll and reached the national semifinals, losing to GPAC rival Concordia. They closed the season with a 25-9 overall record, 16-4 and tied for second in the GPAC.

Last Year's Numbers:
    Offense PPG - 78.7
    Shooting % - 48%
    3pt % - 32%
    FT % - 76%
    Opponent PPG - 66.6
    Reb. Margin - +10
    3pters - 200 (6/game)

    Top Returners:
    Kassidy De Jong - 17.1ppg, 8.2rpg, 51 assists, 35 3pters (3x All-American)
    Darbi Gustafson - 14.2ppg, 7.5rpg, 58% FG (2x All-Conference)
    Anna Kiel - 13.5ppg, 62% FG, 6rpg (2x All-Conference)
    Haley Birks - 8.2ppg, 4.7rpg (2x All-Conference)
    Bre Schuiteman - 4.2ppg, 29 3pters
    Sammy Blum - 3.5ppg, 29 3pters

Other Notes:
De Jong ranks 10th in career scoring (1,630pts), 15th in rebounds (689); 23 double-doubles
Gustafson ranks T29th in career scoring (1,033pts), T20th in rebounds (610), 19 double-doubles
Birks ranks 37th in career scoring (931pts), 41st in rebounds (428)