Game Time...Postseason play gets underway for No.2 Northwestern as they host Midland for a GPAC Quarterfinal on Wednesday night, Feb. 20. Tip-off at the Bultman Center is set for 7pm. Northwestern shared the conference regular season title with Concordia, both going 19-3 in league play. The Red Raiders earned the No.2 seed by way of tie-break and are 25-3 overall. Midland finished seventh in the GPAC at 10-12, earning the No.7 seed, and is 15-13 overall. 

Follow the game live, via the NWC webcast, at the following link: Watch Now!

The Rivalry...Northwestern has won seven straight against the Warriors and leads the all-time series 41-14. The Red Raiders are 9-1 over their last 10 match-ups against Midland.

Earlier This Season...The Red Raiders won both games played during the regular season, earning a 95-71 home win on Dec. 8 and a 67-54 win in a match-up played in Fremont, Neb. just four days ago on Feb. 16. 

In the two games, Northwestern has shot 48% from the field, 39% (17/44) from beyond the arc, compared to 38% from the floor, 21% (8/38) from the three-point line, by Midland. Northwestern has outrebounded the Warriors in both games and is a combined +8 in the two games.

Darbi Gustafson has averaged 19 points and seven rebounds against the Warriors and both Bre Schuiteman and Kassidy De Jong average 13.5 points. Midland has been led by Maddie Egr (17.5) and Amanda Hansen (17) in the two games against NWC. 

Midland Warriors: 10-12 (7th), 15-13                Head Coach: Shawn Gilbert (6th year)

The Warriors closed the regular season with back-to-back losses, dropping games to ranked teams, Hastings (69-52) and Northwestern (67-54). Midland finished seventh in the GPAC with a 10-12 record, one game in back of Morningside, to earn the No.7 seed. They are 15-13 overall. 

Gilbert, a former assistant at the University of Nebraska, is in his sixth season as the head of the Warriors program. He also spent time as the head coach at Mount Mercy for six years, leading teams to the NAIA D-II Championship several times. Gilbert returns three starters and 10 players from a 2017-18 team that finished sixth in the GPAC with a 9-11 record, 14-17 overall.

By the Numbers: (GPAC / NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 69.1ppg (7th)
    Scoring Defense: 68.6ppg (6th)
    Field Goal Percentage: 39% (10th)
    3pt Percentage: 28% (12th), 185 3pters (8th)
    Free Throw Percentage: 74% (4th)
    Rebound Margin: +2 (4th)

Top Players:  (GPAC / NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Maddie Egr (All-Conference)  14.9ppg (8th), 49% FG (7th), 7.6rpg (4th) 35 blocks (3rd)
    Amanda Hansen (2x All-Conference)  12ppg, 2.8rpg, 53 steals 
    Lexis Haase  8.8ppg, 36 3pters, 3.8rpg
    Madison Severson  6ppg, 27 3pters, 63 assists

No.2 Northwestern College:  19-3 (T1st), 25-3        Head Coach: Chris Yaw (8th year)

The Red Raiders were the co-regular season champions with Concordia, going 19-3 in league play, their first conference title since 2013-14. They have five straight games heading into Wednesday night to improve to 25-3 overall. Northwestern is ranked second in the coaches' poll for the third straight week.

Northwestern ranks among the NAIA's best in several stats, including field goal percentage (1st), rebounding (2nd), scoring offense (85.7) and three-point percentage (38%).

The Red Raiders have outrebounded their opponent in all but six games

Northwestern has shot better than its opponent in all but three games

Both Kassidy De Jong and Darbi Gustafson are tied for the GPAC lead with 10 double-doubles

By the Numbers: (GPAC / NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 85.7ppg (2nd / 4th)
    Scoring Defense: 63.5ppg (2nd)
    Field Goal Percentage: 49% (1st / 1st)
    3pt Percentage: 38% (1st / 3rd), 224 3pters (5th)
    Free Throw Percentage: 76% (2nd)
    Rebound Margin: +11 (1st / 2nd)

Top Players:  (GPAC / NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Kassidy De Jong (3x All-American)  18ppg (3rd), 49% FG (8th), 59 3pters (9th), 8.1rpg (1st)
    Darbi Gustafson (2x All-Conference)  15.5ppg (7th), 54% FG (4th), 7.7rpg (2nd)
    Haley Birks (3x All-Conference)  13ppg, 87% FT (3rd /8th), 3.8rpg
    Sammy Blum - 10.9ppg, 70 3pters (3rd), 46% 3pt % (1st / 2nd), 100 assists (7th)