Game Time...10th-ranked Northwestern College is set to play No.23 Bellevue (Neb.) in a first round match-up Wednesday night, March 7, at the 2018 NAIA Division II Men's Basketball National Championship at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. Tip-off is schedued for 8pm. Northwestern, a No.3 seed, bring a 25-6 overall record into Wednesday night's match-up. Belleuve, a sixth seed, is 21-11 on the year. 

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All-Time...Northwestern is 11-3 all-time against Bellevue, dating back to the 1982-83 season. They last played in 2009 where the Red Raiders defeated Bellevue 81-73 at the Defenders Classic. The Red Raiders are 1-1 against Bellevue at the D-II Championship, defeating the Bruins in the second round of 2004-05 (72-69) and losing in the national semifinals in 2007-08 (70-67).

Championship History...Northwestern is making its 18th appearance at the NAIA D-II National Championship, second most among the 32-team field (behind Bellevue-19). This is the Red Raiders second consecutive trip to the D-II Championship and have a 30-15 overall record at the championship, the fourth most wins in the field (Cornerstone-37, Oregon Tech-33, Bethel-32). Northwestern won the national championship in 2001 and 2003, finished as runner-up in 1992 and have reached the semi's in 2002, 2007 and 2008.

The Bruins are making their 16th consecutive and 19th overall appearance at the D-II Championship, most among this year's 32-team field. They own a 24-18 overall record at the championship, finishing as the national runner-up both in 2004- and 2008, losing to Oregon Tech both years. Bellevue lost in the national semifinals two years, in 2010 and last season in 2017. 

Championship Format...The 32-team field includes 22 automatic qualifiers and 10 at-large selections. Automatic berths were given to teams that either won their respective conference tournament title, regular-season championship or finished runner-up at the conference tournament, depending on the league. The at-large bids were determined by the final 2018 NAIA Division II Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll. 

Scouting Reports...

    23rd-ranked / No. 6 seed Bellevue Bruins: 21-11        Head Coach: Shane Paben (10th season)

The Bruins earned the sixth of the 10 at-large bids and bring a 21-11 overall record into the championship. Bellevue, one of two teams from the North Star Athletic Association in the 32-team field, won the NSAA regular season title with an 11-5 record but was upset in the conference semifinals by Mayville State, who went on to win the tournament championship. Prior to that loss, Bellevue had won seven consecutive games. They are 0-3 against GPAC teams this season, losing to Morningside, Briar Cliff and Midland, all played in November.

One of the more successful head coaches, Paben is in his 10th season on the Bellevue sideline and already is the winningest coach in program history at 235-74 heading into the season. Paben has guided the Bruins to 10 straight D-II championships, including a pair of semifinal appearances in 2010 and 2017. He returns four starters and six players from a 2016-17 team that lost to Cornerstone in the national semifinals and finished 25-11.

By the Numbers:  (Conf. Rank / NAIA-rank (if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 75.3ppg (6th)
    Scoring Defense: 71.9ppg (2nd)
    Field Goal %: 44% (8th)
    Field Goal % Defense: 46% (5th)
    3pt %: 35% (T7th)   
    3pt Made: 216 (7th)
    Free Throw %: 71% (4th)
    Rebound Margin: +4 (2nd)
    TO / Game-10.9

Top Players:
    B.J. Shelton (2x NSAA Player of the Year / 2017 All-American): 13.2ppg, 54% FG, 4.7rpg
    Richard Reed: 10.8ppg, 43 3pters
    Jalen Hall: 10.5ppg, 3.1rpg, 67 assists
    Nick Hilton: 9.9ppg, 62 3pters, 32% 3pt
    Blake Wilder: 8.3ppg

10th-ranked / No.3 seed Northwestern College: 13-5 (T2nd), 25-6      Head Coach: Kris Korver (18th year)

The 2017-18 season marks the 13th time a Red Raider team has won 20+ games in coach Korver's 18 years as head coach and 26th overall in program history. They tied Briar Cliff for second place in the GPAC regular season with a 13-5 record and advanced to the conference final against Morningside to earn the second automatic bid into the championship field. Northwestern is one of four teams from the GPAC in this year's championship, joining Morningside, Briar Cliff and Dakota Wesleyan.

Korver, who ranks ninth among NAIA active head coaches in wins, earned his 400th career win earlier this season (against Presentation) and owns the most victories in program history. He has guided Northwestern teams to 13 NAIA D-II championships, winning the title in 2001 and 2003.

By the Numbers:  (Conf. Rank / NAIA-rank (if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 91.2ppg (1st / 3rd)
    Scoring Defense: 79.6ppg (8th)
    Field Goal Percentage: 50% (2nd / 5th)
    3pt Percentage:39% (2nd); 323 3pters (2nd) 
    Free Throw Percentage: 83% (1st / 1st) 
    Rebound Margin: +6 (2nd)

Top Players:
     Nathan Wedel-3x All-Conference; 21.2ppg (1st), 6.3rpg (7th), 58% FG (3rd), 118 assists (4th)     
     Colton Kooima-All-American, 3x All-GPAC; 20.8ppg (2nd), 77 3pters (8th), 112 assists (6th)
    Derek Buysse-All-Conference; 15.1ppg, 91 3pters (1st / 9th), 5.3rpg
    Riley Francis-All-Conference; 12.5ppg, 6.1rpg (8th), 50 3pters

Kooima ranks fourth all-time at NW in scoring (2374pts), four points in back of Craig Douma and 12 behind second place Jim Woudstra.

Kooima is second all-time at NW with 299 career 3pters

Wedel ranks seventh all-time in scoring (1877pts), 10 in rebounding (775)

Buysse is 11th all-time in 3pters (168); Francis is 23rd (118)

Wedel has scored in double figures in 30 of his 31 games played this season

Kooima has scored in double figures in 24 of his 31 games played