The Event... Northwestern College will host the Pizza Ranch Men's Basketball Classic this weekend, Dec. 28-29, at the Bultman Center. Four teams will compete in the Classic; Northwestern, Dordt, Friends and Viterbo. Complete schedule is below:

    Friday, Dec. 28
    Viterbo vs Dordt, 4pm
    Friends vs Northwestern, 8pm

    Saturday, Dec. 29
    Dordt vs Friends, 2pm
    Viterbo vs Northwestern, 6pm

The Classic website is here, including links to webcasts and live stats: 2018 Pizza Ranch Men's Basketball Classic 

Team Capsules:

    (RV) Dordt College Defenders: 4-4 (GPAC), 10-5    Head Coach: Brian Van Haaften (1st year)

The Defenders come into the Classic with a two-game win streak, defeating both Hastings and Midland prior to the Christmas break. They continue to earn votes in the NAIA D-II Coaches poll and own a 10-5 overall record, 6-1 in non-conference play. The only team to knock off the Defenders in non-league play is Graceland, the defending NAIA D-I champion, 76-72 on Oct. 30.

Van Haaften is in his first season as the head coach of the Defenders after a long stint in the same role at Buena Vista. He earned over 400 wins and owned a 69% win percentage during his 20+ season at BVU. Van Haaften inherits a Dordt squad that returns three starters and nine players from a 2017-18 squad that finished tied for eighth in the GPAC with a 6-12 record, 12-19 overall. 

    By the Numbers: (NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 82.1ppg 
    Scoring Defense: 77.4ppg 
    Field Goal Percentage: 46% 
    3pt Percentage: 36%, 128 3pters 
    Free Throw Percentage: 72% 
    Rebound Margin: +5 

Top Players:  (NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Jesse Jansma - 13.8ppg, 27 3pters, 40% 3pt, 26 assists
    Garrett Franken - 13.5ppg, 19 3pters, 33% 3pt, 7.7rpg, 12 blocks
    Chad Barkema - 12.1ppg, 5.7rpg, 39 assists, 16 blocks 
    Josh Van Lingen - 11.8ppg, 18 3pters, 43% 3pt, 5.3rpg

    Viterbo University V-Hawks: 1-0 (NSAA), 8-5        Head Coach: Wayne Wagner (20th year)

The V-Hawks have lost two of their last three games played before the Christmas break, falling to Mount Mercy and University of Wisconsin LaCrosse while defeating UW-River Falls. Prior to that, Viterbo went through a 5-1 stretch, earning a non-conference win over Northwestern and a victory over Waldorf in its conference opener. They are 8-5 on the year.

Wagner, now in his 20th season, is the longest tenured head coach in program history. He has accumulated 271 wins during his time and has twice been named the conference coach of the year. Wagner returns two starters and five players from a 2017-18 team that tied for sixth out of nine teams in the North Star Athletic Association at 7-9, 16-14 overall. They were picked fourth in the conference preseason poll.

By the Numbers: (NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 74.9ppg 
    Scoring Defense: 72.7ppg 
    Field Goal Percentage: 46% 
    3pt Percentage: 34%, 99 3pters 
    Free Throw Percentage: 68% 
    Rebound Margin: +1

Top Players:  (NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Jason Tichy (returning starter)  15.8ppg, 32 3pters, 37% 3pt
    Cade Anderson (Defensive Player of the Year)  11.2ppg, 8.2rpg
    Jake Schroeckenthaler - 11.1ppg, 5.0rpg
    Jezzriah Burton - 10.4ppg, 28 3pters, 44% 3pt

    (RV) Friends University Falcons: 6-3 (KCAC), 8-4        Head Coach: Dale Faber (16th year)

The Falcons have won four straight games, including a win over #12 Southwestern (Kan.), and bring an 8-4 record into the Classic. Members of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference, Friends is 6-3 in league play and is one of three teams from the KCAC recognized in the NAIA D-II poll (Oklahoma Wesleyan-2, Southwestern-12).

Faber, a two-time KCAC Coach of the Year, is in his 16th season as the head of the Falcons' men's basketball program. He has over 250 wins, two regular season title and four postseason championships during his tenure. Faber returns three starters and four players from a 2017-18 team that finished fifth in the KCAC at 13-9, 16-15 overall. 

By the Numbers: (NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 92.3ppg (10th)
    Scoring Defense: 83.8ppg 
    Field Goal Percentage: 47% 
    3pt Percentage: 35%, 120 3pters 
    Free Throw Percentage: 81% (4th)
    Rebound Margin: +1

Top Players:  (NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Jordan Murdock (All-American)  28.9ppg (2nd), 50% FG, 24 3pters, 8.4rpg
    James Conley  16.8ppg, 30 3pters, 46% 3pt, 3.5rpg
    Atir Cherne  12.2ppg, 25 3pters, 3.2rpg
    Vernon Vaughn  10.9ppg, 5.8rpg

    Northwestern College Red Raiders: 3-5 (GPAC), 8-7     Head Coach: Kris Korver (19th year)

The Red Raiders went 1-1 in the final week before Christmas break, defeating No.6 Briar Cliff and losing on the road to a ranked Hastings team. They are 8-7 on the year. 

Northwestern has made 10+ three-pointers in 12 of 15 games

The Red Raiders have outrebounded their opponent in 11 of 15 games; but have been outrebounded in four of the last five

By the Numbers: (NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 90.7ppg 
    Scoring Defense: 81.1ppg 
    Field Goal Percentage: 52% (6^th)
    3pt Percentage: 41% (9th), 174 3pters (9th)
    Free Throw Percentage: 76% 
    Rebound Margin: +8 

Top Players:  (NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Trent Hilbrands - 19.5ppg, 31 3pters, 38% 3pt, 51 assists
    Jay Small – 13.3ppg, 4.1rpg, 15 assists, 45 3pters
    Steven Kragt - 10.5ppg, 20 3pters, 50% 3pt
    Parker Mulder - 9.7ppg, 6.5rpg, 48 assists