Game Time...Northwestern College will play Morningside for the 2018 GPAC Championship, presented by Cypress Risk Management, on Tuesday night, Feb. 27. Tip-off for the title contest is scheduled for 7pm at the Rosen Verdoorn Athletic Center in Sioux City, Iowa. 

Both teams are ranked in the current NAIA D-II Coaches' poll, with Northwestern coming in 11th with a 25-5 overall record and Morningside, the GPAC regular season champion, is ranked sixth and owns a 25-6 mark. Both teams are assured an automatic berth to the NAIA Men's Division II National Tournament in Sioux Falls, S.D., which runs March 7-13 at the Sanford Pentagon.

Follow the game live via the Morningside broadast/live stats at this link: Watch Now!      Live Stats!

Listen to the game via the KSOU broadcast at this link: Listen Now!

All-Time...Northwestern has a slight lead in the all-time series, 23-19, dating back to the first match-up in the 1973-74 season. The teams have split the last four match-ups and Northwestern is 4-6 over the last 10 games against the Mustangs. 

Earlier This Season Against Morningside...Northwestern lost to the Mustangs 86-71 in the first match-up played this season on Nov. 29 in Sioux City, Iowa. The Mustangs shot 56% from the field, 45% (9/20) from the three-point line, led by Tyler Borchers with a double-double (23pts, 10 rebounds). Brody Egger provided the scoring on the perimeter with 21, making 4-of-6 three-pointers. Colton Kooima scored 22 points to lead the Red Raiders, who shot 43% from the field and 36% (9/25) from the arc. Northwestern was outrebounded 34-25 and committed 14 turnovers. 

        Nov. 29 Game Recap | 

The Red Raiders avenged their earlier loss to Morningside with a 66-57 home win played Jan. 24 at the Bultman Center. The game was dominated on the defensive end as both teams' shot under 40% and were held to their lowest scoring output of the season. Nathan Wedel totaled a game-high 28 points and 13 rebounds and Derek Buysse contributed 16 points, going 4-for-9 from the arc. The Red Raiders won the rebound battle, 46-34, pulling down 11 on the offensive glass. Trey Brown was the lone Mustangs' player who scored in double figures with 10.

    Jan. 24 Game Recap | 

Tournament Trail...Morningside, the top overall seed in the eight-team GPAC Tournament, defeated Dordt (93-72) and Dakota Wesleyan (89-59), to advance to the title game. Northwestern, the third seed overall, earned a 107-87 win over Concordia in the quarterfinals and then got past Doane 77-63 in Saturday's semifinal.

GPAC Tournament History...Northwestern has won five GPAC postseason titles, most among all conference teams, including a 95-89 road win over Briar Cliff last year in Sioux City, Iowa. The Red Raiders also won the conference title in 2001, 2002, 2008 and 2012. They are 5-1 all-time in title games, losing in the championship to the University of Sioux Falls in 2007.

Morningside has won two postseason championships, most recently in 2013-14. The Mustangs also claimed the title in 2005-06 and are trying to win both titles (regular season / postseason) for the first time in program history (GPAC). They are 2-2 all-time in the title game, losing to Dordt in 2013 and to Midland in 2015.

Northwestern is 0-2 all-time against the Mustangs in GPAC postseason play, losing in the semifinals both in 2006 and 2013.

Scouting Reports...

    No.9 Morningside College Mustangs: 14-4 (1st GPAC), 25-6 overall      Head Coach: Jim Sykes (15th year)

Since losing to Hastings 91-80 on Feb. 3, Morningside has won six straight coming into Tuesday's night's title game. They captured the regular season championship with a 14-4 record and are 25-6 overall. Four of their six losses this season are to ranked teams; Briar Cliff, Dakota Wesleyan, Northwestern and Hastings. Morningside also lost to Buena Vista and British Columbia prior to the new year. 

Sykes took over the Mustangs program in the middle of the 2004-05 season and has won 65% of his games during his 15 years on the sideline. He is the all-time winningest coach in program history and has guided Morningside to five NAIA D-II Championship appearances and seven 20+ win seasons. Sykes returns three starters and eight players from a 2016-17 team that finished tied for fifth in the GPAC at 10-8, 21-10 overall. 

    By the Numbers: (NAIA Rank-if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 84.6ppg (4th)
    Scoring Defense: 76.7ppg (2nd)
    Field Goal Percentage: 52% (1st / 3rd)
    3pt Percentage: 38% (2nd), 256 3pters (7th)
    Free Throw Percentage: 71% (7th)
    Rebound Margin: +5 (4th)

Top Players:  (NAIA Rank-if top 10) * returning starter
    *Brody Egger (All-Conference)  15.6ppg, 67 3pters (9th), 3.6rpg, 61 assists
    *Tyler Borchers (All-Conference)  14.7ppg, 68% FG (1st / 5th), 7.4rpg (3rd), 24 blocks (4th)
    Alex Borchers  (All-Conference)  12.8ppg, 56% FG, 114 assists (4th)
    Zach Imig  12.4ppg, 98 assists (7th)
    Matthew Hahn 7.4ppg, 52 3pters, 44 3pt % (5th)

No.11 Northwestern College: 13-5 (T2nd), 25-5    Head Coach: Kris Korver (18th year)

The Red Raiders have won three straight and are 8-1 over its last nine games, losing only to Dakota Wesleyan on Feb. 14 in Mitchell, S.D. They are 11-3 since the new year are tied for the fifth most wins in the NAIA this season. 

By the Numbers: (GPAC rank / NAIA-if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 91.7ppg (1st / 3rd)
    Scoring Defense: 79.6ppg (8th)
    Field Goal Percentage: 51% (2nd / 5th)
    3pt Percentage:39% (2nd); 308 3pters (2nd) 
    Free Throw Percentage: 83% (1st / 1st) 
    Rebound Margin: +6 (2nd)

Top Players:
     Nathan Wedel-3x All-Conference; 21.5ppg (1st), 6.4rpg (7th), 59% FG (3rd), 116 assists (4th)     
     Colton Kooima-All-American, 3x All-GPAC; 20.7ppg (2nd), 73 3pters (8th), 110 assists (6th)
    Derek Buysse-All-Conference; 15.1ppg, 87 3pters (1st / 9th), 5.3rpg
    Riley Francis-All-Conference; 12.4ppg, 6.1rpg (8th), 46 3pters