(RV) Northwestern College shot nearly 60% in the second half to pull away from Dickinson State 92-81 in the final game of the Thanksgiving Classic played on the campus of Dordt University this afternoon.
Winners of three straight, Northwestern improved to 8-2 on the season as they head into a tough stretch of conference games.
Trent Hilbrands scored 15 of his team-high 23 points in the second half, knocking down a trio of three-pointers in the midst of a 12-2 run to put the Red Raiders up 73-61 with nine minutes left in the second half. Dickinson State could not get closer than nine during the final stretch.
Northwestern shot 51% for the game but 59% in the second half, making 50% of its three-pointers (7/14) over the final 20 minutes.
Jay Small joined Hilbrands in double figures with 19 points, as did both Red Raider post players,
Craig Sterk (17pts) and
Grant Rohrer (16pts).
An early 12-2 run, keyed by four points each coming from Sterk and Small, put Northwestern up 17-10 at the 12:53 mark. The Blue Hawks rallied behind the three-point shooting by Donte Walker and Montel Carlow to bring their team back to tie it at 21. The game was tied four more times over the final nine minutes, the last one at 36, until
Keegan Van Egdom hit a three-pointer that helped the Red Raiders outscore DiSU 7-4 for a 43-40 lead.
Dickinson State knocked down a three-pointer at the start of the half to tie the score one last time, 43-43. Northwestern followed with a 10-3 run, fueled by three-pointers from both Sterk and Small.
Northwestern had a huge advantage on the glass, 47-24, including 16 offensive boards.
Isaac Heyer, Small and Rohrer all pulled down eight and Heyer dished out five assists.
Walker scored a game-high 24 points to lead the Blue Hawks, followed by Carlow with 15 and Kenny Jackson with 14.
Northwestern travels to Sioux City for a conference game against Briar Cliff on Wednesday night.