Game Time...10th-ranked Northwestern College squares off against seventh-ranked University of Saint Francis (Ind.) in a second round match-up between top 10 teams at the 2018 NAIA D-II National Championship on Friday, March 9. Tip-off at the Sanford Pentagon is scheduled for noon. Northwestern is a No.3 seed in the Liston portion of the bracket and is 26-6 on the year. USF is the No.2 seed and brings a 26-8 record into Friday's game.

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All-Time...This will be the first ever match-up between Northwestern and USF.

Championship History...Northwestern is in 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 they have a 31-15 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.

USF is in its 10th trip and owns a 21-8 overall record at the D-II Championship. The Cougars won the national championship in 2010, defeating Walsh (Ohio) 67-66. They have also finished as the national runner-up on two occasions, most recently in 2016 when they lost to Crossroads League rival Indiana Wesleyan, 69-66. USF was also the runner to Cornerstone (Mich.) in 2011.

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...

    Seventh-Ranked / No.2 Seed University of Saint Francis (Ind.): 26-8 overall        Head Coach: Chad LaCross (7th year)

The Cougars are one of four teams from the Crossroads League in the 32-team field, joining Indiana Wesleyan, Marion and Bethel, all from Indiana. USF earned the second auto bid from the Crossroads League into the 32-team field by way of finishing as the regular season runner-up to Indiana Wesleyan with a 13-5 record. They also finished as the conference tournament runner-up to Indiana Wesleyan and defeated No.7 seed Keiser (Fla.) in the first round, 83-73.

La Cross is in his seventh season as the Cougars head coach, appointed to the head role in 2011 after serving as a top assistant for many years. He was named the Rawlings NAIA coach of the year in 2016 and has won 71% of his games at USF. He returns three starters and seven players from a 2016-17 team that finished with a 23-11 record and lost to Cornerstone in the second round of the D-II championship. 

    By the Numbers:  (Conf. Rank / NAIA-rank (if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 81.7ppg (7th)
    Scoring Defense: 74.7ppg (2nd)
    Field Goal %: 50% (2nd / 6th)
    Field Goal % Defense: 47% (7th)
    3pt %: 38% (T7th)   
    3pt Made: 243 (7th)
    Free Throw %: 71% (7th)
    Rebound Margin: +3 (4th)
    
    Top Players:
    Bryce Linehoop, 2017 All-American, All-Conference; 17.5ppg (7th), 7.6rpg (2nd), 60% FG (2nd)
    Derek Hinen, transfer from Huntington, All-Conference; 15.5ppg, 38 3pters, 116 assists (9th)
    Chandler White, All-Conference; 12.9ppg, 6.5rpg (9th)
    Connor Lautzenheiser  9.4ppg, 39 3pters
    Evan Henry, All-Conference; 8.5ppg, 74 3pters (5th)  

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; 21.3ppg (1st), 6.4rpg (7th), 57% FG (3rd), 121 assists (4th)     
     Colton Kooima-All-American, 3x All-GPAC; 21.1ppg (2nd), 81 3pters (8th), 115 assists (6th)
    Derek Buysse-All-Conference; 14.7ppg, 91 3pters (1st / 9th), 5.2rpg
    Riley Francis-All-Conference; 12.3ppg, 6rpg (8th), 50 3pters

Kooima ranks second all-time at NW in scoring (2404pts), passing both Craig Douma and Jim Woudstra.in the win over Bellevue

Kooima is second all-time at NW with 303 career 3pters

Wedel ranks seventh all-time in scoring (1901pts), 10 in rebounding (786)

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

Wedel has scored in double figures in 31 of his 32 games played this season

Kooima has scored in double figures in 25 of his 32 games played