Northwestern's second half rally came up just short as the Red Raiders lost to fourth-ranked Morningside 90-85 in a GPAC match-up played today at the Bultman Center. Northwestern had its season-high five-game win streak snapped as they drop to 7-6 in conference play, 13-9 overall.
The Mustangs, in first place in the GPAC, improves to 11-1 in the conference, 18-1 overall.
Trent Hilbrands poured in a game-high 27 points and
Parker Mulder registered his team-leading fifth double-double with 20 points and 12 boards to lead Northwestern.
Jay Small (12pts),
Steven Kragt (11pts) and
Isaac Heyer (11pts) were also in double figures as the Red Raiders starting five scored all but four of the teams points.
It was all Morningside early as the highly ranked Mustangs used efficient offense along with a suffocating defense to open up a 36-15 lead with five minutes to go in the first half. Northwestern shot just 17% over the first 15 minutes. The Red Raiders, however, closed with a 15-5 run, getting consecutive three-pointers by Kragt, to get within 11 by halftime.
With the Mustangs still up nine (49-40), Northwestern began a 13-4 run, ending with back-to-back jumpers by Small to come back and tie the game at 53 with 12 minutes left. Moments later,
Grant Rohrer scored his only basket of the game, followed by a three-pointer to make the score tied once again at 60. Morningside then took over the game with an 11-2 run, getting scoring by four different players, capped by a three-pointer by Brody Egger at the six-minute mark.
Northwestern would get within five on two occasions during the final two minutes but could not get any closer.
The Red Raiders finished the game shooting 48%, 41% (11/27) from the three-point line. They held a 41-31 advantage on the boards, led by Mulder with 12 and Hilbrands with eight. Heyer knocked down a career-high three-pointers and both Kragt and Mulder also hit a trio of three-pointers.
Morningside shot 51% for the game, led by the strong inside play of Tyler Borchers (25pts, 4 rebounds) and the perimeter play of Egger (25pts, 5/5 3pters). Egger was perfect from the field, going 8-for-8 and 4-for-4 from the free throw line.
