Game Time...No.9 Northwestern College looks to close its regular season on a high note as they head to Crete, Neb. for a GPAC match-up against Doane this weekend. Tip-off at the Haddix Center is scheduled for 2pm. Northwestern is in third place in the GPAC standings with a 15-4 record, one game in back of second place Dakota Wesleyan, 20-7 overall. Doane is tied with College of Saint Mary for 10th place in the conference standings with a 2-16 record, 7-20 overall. 

Follow the game live via the Doane webcast at this link:   Video  | Live Stats

All-Time...Northwestern leads the all-time series against Doane 32-26 dating back to the 1986-87 season. The Red Raiders are 2-3 over the last five and 6-4 over the last 10 match-ups, including a 98-53 home win over Doane played on Nov. 18. 

Last Time vs Doane...Darbi Gustafson scored a career-high 24 points in leading No.19 Northwestern College to a 98-53 home win over Doane in the GPAC opener for the Red Raiders played on Nov. 18. The junior also pulled down 10 rebounds for her then-third double-double of the season. Kassidy De Jong added 23 points, going 8-for-9 from the free throw line, to go with seven boards. Sammy Blum netted a career-high 14, draining four three-pointers, and Haley Birks added 13 points, five rebounds and two blocks.

After Doane tied the game at 16 with a three-pointer by Bailey Zarybnicky at the 8:51 mark of the second quarter, Northwestern outscored the Tigers 12-2 over a two minute stretch to take the lead for good. Blum knocked down a three-pointer moments later for a 31-18 advantage and Northwestern pushed the lead to 16 (43-27) by intermission.

The Red Raiders began the second half with a 27-4 run, limiting Doane to one field goal over six minutes, for a 70-31 lead with 3:30 left in the third quarter.

Doane University Tigers: 2-17 (T10th), 7-20      Head Coach: Tracee Fairbanks (19th)

Doane has lost five straight games since earning a 78-59 home win over College of Saint Mary on Jan. 24. The Tigers have lost to Mount Marty, Briar Cliff, Dordt, Hastings and Concordia to fall into a 10th place tie with CSM heading into the final weekend. They also have a GPAC win over Mount Marty on Dec. 9.

Tracee Fairbanks is in her 19th season as the head of the Tigers' program, taking over in 1999. She returns one starter and seven players from a 2016-17 team that finished sixth in the GPAC with a 9-11 record, 16-16 overall. 

By the Numbers: (GPAC rank)
    Scoring Offense: 62.4ppg (11th)
    Scoring Defense: 69.4ppg (6th)
    Field Goal Percentage: 41% (T8th)
    3pt Percentage: 29% (11th)
    Free Throw Percentage: 69% (11th)
    Rebound Margin: +2 (6th)

Top Players: (GPAC rank) *returning starter
    *McKenna Dodd-15.1ppg (5th), 75 3pters (2nd), 35% 3pt, 59 assists
    Haylee Heits-9.7ppg, 4.6rpg, 23 blocks    
    Cortney Arkfeld-9ppg, 5.7rpg
    Alea Shaner-6.6ppg, 3.0rpg
    
No.9 Northwestern College: 15-4 (3rd), 20-7    Head Coach: Chris Yaw (7th year)

The Red Raiders are alone in third place in the GPAC standings at 15-4 heading into Saturday's match-up against Doane. They need a win and a DWU loss to move into a tie for second place in the final GPAC standings and possibly earn the No.2 seed in the upcoming postseason tournament. Northwestern, ranked ninth, is 20-7 overall. 

By the Numbers: (GPAC rank / NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 78.8ppg (4th)
    Scoring Defense: 65.2ppg (3rd)
    Field Goal Percentage: 48% (2nd /3rd)
    3pt Percentage: 34% (7th), 172 3pters (8th)
    Free Throw Percentage: 75% (4th)
    Rebound Margin: +8 (2nd)

Top Players: (GPAC rank / NAIA rank-if top 10) *returning starter
    *Kassidy De Jong (All-American) 16.9ppg (3rd), 7.7rpg (2nd), 43 assists
     *Darbi Gustafson (All-Conference)  14.6ppg (7th), 7.5rpg (T3rd), 60% (2nd / 9th)
     Anna Kiel (All-Conference)  13.4ppg, 63% FG, 5.7rpg
    *Renee Maneman  (All-Conference) 10.3ppg, 3.8rpg, 234 assists (1st /1st)
     *Haley Birks (All-Conference) 8.2ppg, 4.3rpg, 32 blocks (4th)    
     *Paige Danner  7ppg, 38 3pters, 34% 3pt FG