Trent Hilbrands scored a game-high 25 points in leading Northwestern to its fourth straight win, an 85-83 overtime road victory against Briar Cliff, in a GPAC match-up played tonight in Sioux City, Iowa.
Northwestern improves to 3-1 in the GPAC, 9-2 overall; Briar Cliff falls to 1-4 in conference play, 7-4 overall.
Down four (76-72) with just over a minute left in regulation, Hilbrands knocked down his fourth three-pointer of the game and was fouled, converting the free throw to tie the game at 76 with 45 seconds left. Both teams missed on their chances to win the game on their final possessions, sending the game into overtime.
A three-pointer by Jackson Lamb at the start of the extra period put Briar Cliff up for the final time, 79-76. The Red Raiders answered with a 7-0 run on consecutive baskets by
Craig Sterk and a three-pointer by
Keegan Van Egdom for a 83-79 lead with three minutes left. Another Chargers three-pointer, this time from Conner Groves, made it a one point game (83-82) with one minute left but Hilbrands and
Jay Small both made 1-of-2 free throws during the final moments to seal the win.
Northwestern shot 41% for the game, 33% (11/33) from the arc, and was led by Hilbrands with 25 points, his fourth 20+ point game of the season. Van Egdom scored 14 and both Sterk and Small netted 12 to give the Red Raiders four players in double figures. Northwestern won the game on the boards with a commanding 50-39 edge, limiting BCU to just two offensive rebounds. Sterk pulled down 12, his fourth double-double of the season, and Small grabbed 10 to record his second double-double.
Head Coach
Kris Korver's squad raced out to an 18-6 lead, knocking down four three-pointers during the first seven minutes play. Northwestern maintained an 8-12 point advantage over the next several minutes as neither team was able to go on an extended run. Leading 34-23 at the 4:34 mark, Briar Cliff went on an 11-2 run just before the first half handed until a basket by Hilbrands put Northwestern up 38-34 at the break.
Northwestern pushed its lead back up to eight in the early stages of the second half only to have Briar Cliff storm back and grab its first lead of the game, 59-58, on a basket from Jackson Lamb, with 7:49 left. The teams traded baskets during the final minutes, setting up the late-game heroics from Hilbrands.
Lamb led Briar Cliff with 24 points and 12 rebounds, followed closely by Austin Roetman with 23 points, going 3-of-7 from the arc. The Chargers shot 42% for the game, 40% (14/35) from the three-point line.
