Nathan Wedel and Colton Kooima combined for 50 points in leading 10th-ranked Northwestern to an 86-79 win over Doane in the final game of the regular season for both teams played today in Crete, Neb. Northwestern finishes GPAC play with a 13-5 record and is tied with Briar Cliff for second place in the conference standings. The Red Raiders improve to 23-5 overall. 

Wedel scored a game-high 30 points, knocking down a career-best five three-pointers, to go with nine rebounds and five assists. Kooima netted 20 points, 18 in the first half, and also dished out five assists. Derek Buysse (12) and Riley Francis (10) were also in double figures for the Red Raiders. 

A pair of Wedel baskets, both assisted by Kooima, capped a 9-2 Northwestern run to put the Red Raiders up for good, 16-9, at the 13-minute mark. The teams traded baskets over the rest of the first half as neither team was able to go on any substantial run, resulting in a 41-33 Red Raider lead at the half. 

Up by eight (45-37) in the opening minutes of the second half, Northwestern knocked down five three-pointers, three by Wedel and one by both Francis and Buysse, for a 15-5 run to extend its lead to 18 (60-42) at the 14-minute mark. Doane began to rally, however, and after a 12-0 run, trailed by just four (70-66) after a lay-up by Rylee Zimmerman with six minutes left. 

Wedel scored the next five points on a jumper and another three-pointer, his fifth of the game, that began a 12-4 run and pushed Northwestern's lead back to double digits. The Red Raiders went 8-for-10 from the free throw line over the final three-plus minutes to clinch it.

Northwestern shot 43% from the field, 38% (12/32) from the three-point line and 78% (18/23) from the free throw line. The Red Raiders held a 37-36 edge on the boards, led by Wedel with nine and Buysse with six. Northwestern committed only eight turnovers compared to 17 by Doane.

Nick Kornieck scored 23 points to lead the Tigers and both Zimmerman and Trace Tupper netted 13 points. Tupper pulled down 12 rebounds.