Game Time...Second-ranked Northwestern heads to Sioux City for a mid-week match-up against Briar Cliff on Wednesday, Feb. 6. Tip-off is set for 6pm. Northwestern is tied with Concordia for second place in the current GPAC standings with a 15-3 record, 1/2 game in back of Dakota Wesleyan. The Red Raiders are 21-3 overall with four games left in the regular season. Briar Cliff sits in eighth place with a 7-11 record, 1/2 game up on Mount Marty and 1.5 games behind Midland for seventh place. The Chargers hold a 13-13 overall record. 

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All-Time...Northwestern leads the all-time series 61-51, dating back to the 1967-68 season, and has won four straight against BCU. 

Last Time vs BCU...Darbi Gustafson scored a game-high 24 points and Sammy Blum drained seven three-pointers en route to a career-high 21-point effort in Northwestern's 87-65 home win over the Chargers on Dec. 12.

Gustafson missed just three shots all game, going 9-for-12 from the field and a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Blum made 7-of-13 three-point attempts and Haley Birks, Kassidy De Jong and Bre Schuiteman all contributed 11 points each. 

Leading by one (11-10) midway through the first quarter, Northwestern outscored the Chargers 16-2 over the final 4:35 for a 29-14 advantage by the end of the opening quarter.  The Red Raiders converted four three-pointers, three by Blum and one by Jada Cunningham, and limited Briar Cliff to one basket during the run.

Both teams went on brief scoring runs in a second quarter that ended with a 39-29 Red Raider lead. The Chargers continued to chip away at the hosts lead, getting to within seven (45-38) after a three-point play by Taylor Wagner with 6:34 left in the third. Northwestern, however, put the game away with a 22-9 run, scoring the final six points of the third quarter on back-to-back three-pointer by Blum, for a 67-47 advantage. 

Taylor Wagner led Briar Cliff with 18 points and five rebounds. The Chargers shot 47% for the game, 46% (5/11) from the three-point line, and forced 26 NWC turnovers. 

Scouting Reports...

    Briar Cliff Chargers:  7-11 (8th), 13-13 overall            Head Coach: Mike Power (19th Year)

The Chargers have lost three of its last four games and fell out of the NAIA D-II Coaches' poll, released earlier today. BCU has dropped back-to-back games, falling to Mount Marty and then on the road against Hastings, 72-55. They are in eighth place in the GPAC at 7-11, 1/2 game up on Mount Marty for the final spot in the upcoming GPAC Tournament. BCU is 13-13 overall. 

In his second stint and 19th overall season as the BCU head coach, Power returns two starters and seven players from a 2017-18 team that finished eighth in the GPAC with a 7-13 record, 10-21 overall. 

By the Numbers:  (GPAC rank / NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 68.8ppg (9th)
    Scoring Defense: 70.6 (8th)
    Field Goal Percentage: 42% (7th)
    3pt Percentage: 36% (2nd), 193 3pters (6th)
    Free Throw Percentage: 66% (9th)
    Rebound Margin: -2 (11th)
    
Top Players:  (GPAC rank / NAIA rank-if top 10)
Taylor Wagner - 11.2ppg, 104 assists (5th)
Alyssa Carley - 10.9ppg, 63 3pters (5th), 37 3pt % (4th), 48 assists
Logan Ehlers (All-Conference) 9.7ppg, 15 3pters, 5.3rpg, 27 blocks (9th)
Taylor Vasa - 8.1ppg, 52% FG, 5.7rpg

#2 Northwestern Red Raiders: 15-3 (T2nd), 21-3     Head Coach: Chris Yaw (8th year)

The Red Raiders avenged one of its earlier losses last time out, defeating top-ranked Concordia 81-75 last weekend. Saturday's win was the second against a No.1 team this season (earlier NW defeated then-No.1 DWU). With four games left in the regular season, Northwestern is tied with Concordia for second in the GPAC at 15-3, 21-3 overall, trailing DWU by 1/2 game.

Northwestern is the top rebounding team in the GPAC, second best in the NAA, and has been outrebounded just four times.

The Red Raiders have shot better than their opponent in all but three games

Kassidy De Jong has scored in double figures in all but one game; is 2nd in GPAC w/ eight double-doubles

Darbi Gustafson has scored in double figures in 20 games; Haley Birks has scored in double figures in 19 games

By the Numbers: (GPAC / NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 86.3ppg (2nd / 4th)
    Scoring Defense: 64.6ppg (2nd)
    Field Goal Percentage: 48% (1st / 1st)
    3pt Percentage: 37% (1st / 3rd), 191 3pters (5th)
    Free Throw Percentage: 76% (2nd)
    Rebound Margin: +12 (1st / 2nd)

Top Players:  (GPAC / NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Kassidy De Jong (3x All-American)  18.6ppg (2nd), 48% FG (8th), 54 3pters (8th), 8.3rpg (1st)
    Darbi Gustafson (2x All-Conference)  16ppg (7th), 53% FG (4th), 8.1rpg (2nd)
    Haley Birks (3x All-Conference)  13.2ppg, 86% FT (3rd), 3.8rpg
    Sammy Blum - 11ppg, 60 3pters (3rd), 87 assists (8th)
    Anna Kiel - 10.2ppg, 5rpg, 63% FG