Game Time... Northwestern College closes regular season on the road against Midland this weekend. Tip-off on Saturday, Feb. 16 in Fremont, Neb. is slated for 4pm. Northwestern is tied with Dordt for fifth place in the GPAC with a 10-9 record, 16-12 overall. Midland is tied with Doane for ninth place in the conference, 10-18 overall.

Follow the game live, via the Midland webcast, at this link: Watch Now!

Listen to the game live via Sioux County radio at this link: Listen Now!

All-Time...Northwestern leads the all-time series 68-28, dating back to the 1960-61 season. The teams have split the last 10 match-ups and the Red Raiders are 3-2 over the last five. 

Last Time vs Midland...Trent Hilbrands scored a game-high 23 points in the Red Raiders' 74-73 home loss to Midland in a conference match-up played on Dec. 8 

Down by as many as 19 in the first half, Northwestern used an 18-7 run to close the gap to 37-30 by halftime. Hilbrands scored nine during the Red Raider surge and both Parker Mulder and Jay Smallknocked down three-pointers to start the run.

Northwestern opened the second half with an 11-0 run and took its first lead since the beginning of the game, 41-37, after a basket by Chris Borchers. The lead changed hands three times over the next few minutes until a 14-4 Northwestern run put the hosts in front 64-56 with 5:42 remaining. 

With Northwestern still up by seven (68-61) moments later, Midland came back with a decisive 10-0 run, taking the lead for good with a basket by Dillon Faubel with 1:28 left to play. The Red Raiders were held scoreless for nearly four minutes and held without a field goal for the final 4:23 except for a last-second three-pointer by Hilbrands to make the final score 74-73.

The Red Raiders shot 50% for the game, 37% (7/19) from the arc, and 73% (16/22) from the free throw line. Hilbrands led all players with 23 points, making 7-of-12 field goal attempts. Small added 11 points before fouling out in the closing minutes. Northwestern was outrebounded 34-33, led by Isaac Heyer with eight and both Small and Steven Kragt with five each.

Midland (3-4, 5-7) was led by Bryce Parsons with 21 points and Faubel scored 13. The Warriors shot 46% from the field, 41% (9/22) from the three-point line.

Scouting Reports...

    Midland University Warriors:  5-14 (T9th), 10-18 overall        Head Coach: Oliver Drake (4th year)

Since defeating Mount Marty on Jan. 19, Midland has lost five straight to fall into a ninth place tie with Doane at 5-14 in the conference. They are one game in back of Concordia for the eighth and final spot in the 8-team postseason conference tournament. Losses to Briar Cliff, Morningside, Dordt, Jamestown and Hastings have put the Warriors at 10-18 overall.

Drake returns four players from a 2017-18 team that tied Dordt for eighth place in the GPAC with a 6-12 record, 16-14 overall. Midland did not qualify for the conference tournament last season and were picked to finish sixth in the preseason poll.

By the Numbers: (GPAC / NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 77.2ppg (8th)
    Scoring Defense: 83.1ppg (10th)
    Field Goal Percentage: 47% (8th)
    3pt Percentage: 39% (4th), 261 3pters (6th)
    Free Throw Percentage: 70% (9th)
    Rebound Margin: -2.5 (10th)

Top Players:  (GPAC / NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Bryce Parsons - 16.6ppg (9th), 52% FG (4th), 7rpg (3rd), 130 assists (1st)
    Malik Martin - 13.3ppg, 50% FG (7th), 4.3rpg
    Bowen Sandquist - 13.3ppg, 65 3pters (4th), 37% 3pt
    Reggie Gradwell - 10.8ppg, 76 3pters (5th), 43% 3pt
    
    Northwestern College Red Raiders: 10-9 (T5th), 16-12        Head Coach: Kris Korver (19th year)

 Northwestern lost to #15 University of Jamestown last time out, 98-85, and remain tied with Dordt for fifth in the current GPAC standings. Both teams sit one game ahead of Hastings heading into the final weekend. The Red Raiders are 2-3 over the last five games and are 16-12 overall.

By the Numbers: (GPAC / NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 87.1ppg (4th)
    Scoring Defense: 80.2ppg (8th)
    Field Goal Percentage: 50% (3rd /9th)
    3pt Percentage: 39% (3rd), 303 3pters (4th)
    Free Throw Percentage: 77% (2nd)
    Rebound Margin: +7 (1st)

Top Players:  (GPAC / NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Trent Hilbrands - 18.6ppg (5th), 61 3pters, 69 assists
    Jay Small - 13.7ppg, 76 3pters (9th), 40% 3pt
    Parker Mulder - 11.5ppg, 6.8rpg (5th), 112 assists (2nd)
    Steven Kragt - 10.1ppg, 33 3pters, 38% 3pt