Game Time... The Northwestern College men's basketball team is set to host a pair of non-conference games this weekend at the Bultman Center. The Red Raiders are paired against (RV) Mayville State (N.D.) on Friday night, beginning at 7:30pm, and will then play Valley City State (N.D.) on Saturday afternoon (3pm) in the final tune-up prior to the GPAC opener. 

Follow the games live, via the NWC webcast, at the following link: Watch Now!

Friday night's game will also be on the radio, Classic Hits 101.5

All-Time... The Red Raiders are 2-0 all-time against Mayville State, earning wins during the 2010-11 (85-79) and 2016-17 (94-77) seasons. Northwestern is 10-3 all-time in the rivalry against Valley City State, all played since the 2006-07 season. They have won two straight against the Vikings, including a 100-72 win on the road last year.

Scouting Reports...

    (RV) Mayville State Comets: 3-0        Head Coach: Darren Tighe (2nd year)

The Comets are off to a 3-0 start to the 2018-19 season, scoring over 110 points in all three games in wins over Providence (2x) and Oak Hills Christian.

Head Coach Darren Tighe begins his second year as the Comets head coach, hired in the summer of 2017 after a three-year stint as head coach at Ridgewater Community College. Tighe returns three starters and seven players from 2017-18 team that won the North Star Athletic Association postseason tournament and qualified for the D-II National Tournament where they lost to College of Idaho in the first round. They finished 18-11 overall, 8-8 in conference play, and are picked to finish second in the NSAA preseason poll.

    By The Numbers...
    115ppg                            47 Opp PPG
    60% FG                           29% Opp FG
    42% 3pt                           18% Opp 3pt
    +25 Reb.Margin

    Top Players...
    Max Cooper - 15.3ppg, 5rpg, 78% FG
    Leon Williams - 15ppg, 7 3pters, 5 assists
    Gorg Alhag (All-Conference)  12.7ppg, 6.7rpg, 9 assists
    Peyton Christman - 11.3ppg, 8 3pters

    Valley City State Vikings: 1-1            Head Coach: Ryan Montgomery (3rd year)

The Vikings are 1-1 heading into the weekend, losing to Brandon by one (69-68) and defeating Providence 112-49 last time out. They also earned a win over NCAA D-II Bemidji State (Minn.) in an exhibition game earlier this week.

Hired in 2016, Montgomery is the 21st head coach in program history and is in his third season as the head of the Vikings program. Montgomery previously served as the assistant at Bemidji State. He returns three players from a team that went 7-9 (T6th) in the NSAA regular season, 14-16 overall. Valley City State was picked to finish sixth out of eight teams in the NSAA preseason poll.

    By The Numbers...
    95ppg                            59 Opp PPG
    50% FG                         32% Opp FG
    25% 3pt                         23% Opp 3pt
    +19 Reb Margin

    Top Players...
    Christian Kvilang (transfer from Jamestown) - 19.5ppg, 5 3pters, 6rpg
    Logan Nelson (returner) - 18.5ppg, 3rpg
    Chris Morgan - 15ppg, 10.5rpg
    Connor Entzi (transfer from Jamestown) - 14.5ppg, 80% FG

Northwestern Notes:

The Red Raiders opened the season with a 112-41 win over Oak Hills Christian last weekend, led by Craig Sterk and Trenton Hilbrands who scored 20 and 19 points, respectively, both career highs.

Northwestern was picked to finish tied for sixth, with Hastings, in the GPAC preseason poll; 4 teams from the GPAC were recognized in the NAIA preseason poll; Morningside (4), Briar Cliff (10), Dakota Wesleyan (17) and Doane (RV).

Parker Mulder and Chris Borchers are the top scorers returning from last year's squad; Mulder averaged 6.6 points per game and Borchers netted 4.4 points per game

Mulder has scored in double figures in 12 games during his career, 1 20+-point game; Borchers has scored in double figures in nine games throughout his career.