Game Time... Northwestern College begins a two-game homestand as they host Hastings this weekend for Senior / Parent's day. Tip-off on Saturday, Feb. 9 at 4pm. Northwestern is tied with Dordt for fifth place in the current GPAC standings with a 9-8 record, 15-11 overall. Hastings sits one game in back with an 8-9 GPAC record, 17-10 overall. 

Saturday marks one of the final home games for the four Red Raider seniors on this year's team; Chris Borchers, Steven Kragt, Parker Mulder and Spencer Pauley. 

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

All-Time...Northwestern leads the all-time series 33-23 despite going 3-7 in the last 10 match-ups against Hastings. The teams have split their regular season games the last two years. 

Earlier This Year...Trent Hilbrands poured in a career-high 31 points and was one of five Red Raider players to score in double figures in Northwestern's 100-94 loss to the Broncos in a game played on Dec. 15. 

Hilbrands knocked down a career-best five three-pointers en route to his 31-point effort. The sophomore guard dished out seven assists and pulled down four rebounds. Parker Mulder contributed 16 points, six rebounds and four assists before fouling out late in the contest. Christian Korver scored all of his 12 points from beyond the arc, going 4-for-5 from the three-point line, and both Jay Small (11) and Isaac Heyer (10) were also in double figures.

A back and forth first half ended with Northwestern trailing by two, 44-42, as Broncos forward Zach Kitten scored the final basket of the half with 48 seconds left. Hastings scored the first nine points of the game for its largest lead of the half while a 16-2 run by Northwestern, led by Korver (3 3pters) and Small (2 3pters), gave the Red Raiders their largest advantage (35-28) at the 5:53 mark. 

Two free throws by Isaac Heyer put Northwestern in front 52-46 in the opening moments of the second half. Hastings came back and led 63-61 as Bart Hiscock capped a 17-9 run to go up two, 63-61, but a three-pointer by Hilbrands on the next possession gave Northwestern its final lead, 64-63. The Broncos then scored the next 12 points, going up by double digits, and the Red Raiders never got closer than four during the final 10 minutes. 

Northwestern shot 51% for the game, 43% (13/30) from the three-point line. The Red Raiders were outrebounded for just the fourth time this season, 34-32, with both teams pulling down nine on the offensive glass. Mulder and Small led the Red Raiders with six boards and Hilbrands totaled a game-high seven assists. 

Hiscock led the Broncos with 27 points and Kevin Miller scored 21 and pulled down four rebounds. Hastings shot 45% for the game, 50% (14/28) from the three-point line. 

Scouting Reports...

    (RV) Hastings College Broncos: 8-9 (7th), 17-10 overall                    Head Coach: Bill Gavens (6th year)

Hastings has split its last six games, winning three straight over Nebraska Christian, Oglala Lakota and Briar Cliff after a three-game losing skid to Jamestown, Morningside and Dakota Wesleyan. They are currently in seventh place in the GPAC with an 8-9 record, trailing both Northwestern and Dordt by one game with three left to play. Hastings is 17-10 overall.

Gavers is in his sixth season as the head of the Broncos program and returns two starters, seven players from a 2017-18 team that finished fifth in the GPAC with a 10-8 record, 20-11 overall. Gavers was a long-time head coach at Grand Island Central Catholic prior to coming to Hastings. The Broncos were picked sixth in the GPAC preseason poll. 

By the Numbers: (GPAC rank / NAIA rank if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 85ppg (6th)
    Scoring Defense: 79.5ppg (8th)
    Field Goal Percentage: 48% (5th)
    3pt Percentage: 35% (11th), 254 3pters (5th)
    Free Throw Percentage: 76% (3rd)
    Rebound Margin: +2 (5th)

Top Players:  
    Bart Hiscock (All-Conference): 17.5ppg (6th), 34 3pters, 8.1rpg (1st), 18 blocks (9th)
    Kevin Miller (All-Conference): 16.8ppg (10th), 34 3pters, 39% 3pt, 68 assists
    Brendan Lipovsky (UNO transfer): 10.8ppg, 6.3rpg (8th), 50 assists
    Shane Chamberlain: 9.6ppg, 49 3pters, 3rpg

    Northwestern College Red Raiders: 9-8 (T5th), 15-11    Head Coach: Kris Korver (19th year)

With its loss to Briar Cliff Wednesday night, Northwestern slipped into a tie for fifth place, along with Dordt, with a 9-8 GPAC record. They trail DWU by 1.5 games and lead the Broncos by one game with three games left in the regular season. 

By the Numbers: (GPAC / NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 87.2ppg (4th)
    Scoring Defense: 79.3ppg (6th)
    Field Goal Percentage: 50% (3rd / 9th)
    3pt Percentage: 40% (3rd), 282 3pters (4th)
    Free Throw Percentage: 77% (2nd)
    Rebound Margin: +7 (1st)

Top Players:  (GPAC / NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Trent Hilbrands - 18.5ppg (5th), 53 3pters, 39% 3pt, 4pg, 68 assists
    Jay Small - 14.2ppg, 74 3pters (8th), 41% 3pt, 4.3rpg, 28 assists
    Parker Mulder - 11.1ppg, 56% FG, 6.7rpg (6th), 102 assists (2nd)
    Steven Kragt - 10.3ppg, 33 3pters, 40% 3pt, 42 assists
    Craig Sterk - 8.7ppg, 51% FG, 4.2rpg, 11 blocks

This marks one of the final home games for the four Red Raider seniors; Chris Borchers, Steven Kragt, Parker Mulder and Spencer Pauley. 

    Chris Borchers - 2x NAIA Scholar Athlete;123 games, 472 career points (3.8ppg), 237 rebounds, 150 assists, 48 steals
    Steven Kragt - 57 games, 350pts (6.1ppg), 33 3pters, 160 rebounds, 57 assists
    Parker Mulder - 93 games, 649pts (7ppg), 63 3pters, 47% 3pt, 369 rebounds, 252 assists
    Spencer Pauley - 34 games, 82pts (2.4ppg), 129 rebounds, 31 blocks

    2018-19:  9-8 GPAC, 15-11
    2017-18: 13-5 (T2nd), 26-7; NAIA 2nd round
    2016-17: 13-5 (T2nd), 27-7; NAIA 2nd round
    2015-16: 9-11 (T7th), 15-15