Game Time... Northwestern College is set to play at the Saint Xavier Thanksgiving Classic, a tournament hosted by Saint Xavier University near the Chicago area, this weekend. The Red Raiders will match-up against the host Cougars on Friday, Nov.23 at 3pm. Saturday's game will be against Trinity Christian College with a noon tip-off at the Shannon Center.

Both games will be available via the Saint Xavier webcast at this link: Watch Now!

All-Time...This will be the first meeting between Northwestern and Saint Xavier. The Red Raiders are 6-0 all-time against Trinity Christian, last playing the Trolls last year that resulted in a 101-69 win at the Dordt Classic. 

Scouting Reports...

    Saint Xavier Cougars: 3-4            Head Coach: Tom O'Malley (22nd year)

Members of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference, Saint Xaiver brings a 3-4 record into its tournament. They are 1-1 in conference play, defeating Holy Cross (Ind.) and losing to Trinity International (Ill.) last time out, 83-73.  SXU also has wins over Huntington (Ind.) and Lawrence Tech (Mich.) and have won two of their last three games.

Longtime coach Tom O'Malley, in his 22nd season with the Cougars, ranks fifth among active coach with 500 career wins. He has guided SXU to 12 NAIA D-II Tournaments, most recently in 2014. O'Malley returns two starters and nine players from a 2017-18 team that finished sixth in the CCAC with an 11-9 record, 19-13 overall. 

By the Numbers: (NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 81ppg 
    Scoring Defense: 81ppg 
    Field Goal Percentage: 46% 
    3pt Percentage: 36%, 59 3pters 
    Free Throw Percentage: 68% 
    Rebound Margin: -1

Top Players:  (NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Tyler Diehl (returning starter)  20ppg, 57% FG, 6 3pters, 5.1rpg
    Chris Soczek  12.3ppg, 3.5rpg, 9 3pters
    Jack Brody (returning starter / all-conference)  11.4ppg, 9.8rpg
    Josh Niego  10.8ppg, 8 assists

    Trinity Christian Trolls: 2-7                    Head Coach: Jason Hawkins (1st year)

Also a member of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference, Trinity Christian has lost five straight games heading into this weekend. They started the year with a 2-2 record but have dropped five consecutive games since, three in conference play (Governorts State, Robert Morris and Cardinal Stritch). Both wins have come against non-NAIA schools (Midway and Silver Lake).

Hired last summer, Hawkins is in his first season as the Trolls' head coach after a successful four-year stint as a high school coach. Hawkins has also served as head coach at CCAC schools, IU-Northwest and Calumet St.Joseph. He inherits a TCC team that returns five players from last year's squad that finished tied for 13th in the CCAC with a 4-16 record, 8-22 overall.

By the Numbers: (NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 75ppg 
    Scoring Defense: 90ppg 
    Field Goal Percentage: 42% 
    3pt Percentage: 32%, 68 3pters 
    Free Throw Percentage: 67% 
    Rebound Margin: 0

Top Players:  (NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Patrick Bray - 12.5ppg, 16 3pters, 37% 3pt
    Myles Birgans - 11.9ppg, 16 3pters, 38% 3pt
    Terrance Lacey - 11.1ppg, 27 assists
    Josh Decker - 10.1ppg, 6.8rpg

Northwestern College:  4-4                Head Coach: Kris Korver (19th year)

The Red Raiders have lost two straight and three of their last four to fall to 4-4 on the season. They have played five consecutive road games heading into this weekend. Last time out, they lost to Viterbo (Wis.) 84-75 on Tuesday night in LaCrosse, Wis.

Northwestern has outrebounded its opponent in every game this season and is the top rebounding team in the conference (+12). 

By the Numbers: (NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 91ppg 
    Scoring Defense: 76.5ppg 
    Field Goal Percentage: 50% 
    3pt Percentage: 40%, 99 3pters (7th)
    Free Throw Percentage: 78% 
    Rebound Margin: +12

Top Players:  (NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Trent Hilbrands - 19ppg, 18 3pters, 41% 3pt
    Jay Small - 12.1ppg, 20 3pters, 40% 3pt
    Steven Kragt - 9ppg, 11 3pters, 50% 3pt
    Parker Mulder - 8.5ppg, 6.5rpg, 26 assists