Game Time... No.2 Northwestern College will host #24 Hastings this weekend for Senior Day / Parent's Recognition at the Bultman Center. Tip-off for the key GPAC match-up is scheduled for 2pm. Northwestern is currently tied with Concordia for second in the GPAC standings with a 16-3 record, 1/2 game in back of first place Dakota Wesleyan. The Red Raiders are 22-3 overall. Hastings, one of the hottest teams in the GPAC, has won six straight to move up to fifth in the conference at 11-8, 16-10 overall. 

This marks one of the final home games for the six seniors involved in the Red Raider women's basketball program; Haley Birks, Kassidy De Jong, Darbi Gustafson, Macy Kuehler, Heather Schouten and Haley Sitzmann. 

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

All-Time...The Red Raiders have won five straight in the rivalry against Hastings, going 6-4 over the last 10 games. Northwestern still trails the all-time series 27-32, dating back to the late 1980's. 

Earlier This Year...Kassidy De Jong and Sammy Blum combined for 45 points and 11 three-pointers in the Red Raiders 81-62 win over Hastings on Dec. 15. De Jong led all scorers with 25 points, making five three-pointers, and Blum netted 20, 18 coming from the three-point line. Bre Schuiteman added four three's of her own en route to a 15-point effort. Haley Birks added 12 points.

Northwestern made a season-high 15 three-pointers, shooting 48% from beyond the arc, fourth best this season. They also had the edge on the boards (27-24) and limited the Broncos to 38% from the field, 20% (3/15) from the three-point line.

Gabby Grasso led the short-handed Broncos with 14 points, four rebounds and one blocked shot. Hastings was playing without its leading scorer, Shandra Farmer.

Scouting Reports...

    #24 Hastings Broncos: 11-8 (5th), 16-10 overall            Head Coach: Jina Douglas (4th year)

Since dropping three straight and seven of eight games in January and late December, Hastings has won six consecutive games to move up to fifth in the current GPAC standings at 11-8, 16-10 overall. During their current win streak, they have defeated ranked teams (Dakota Wesleyan and Morningside) and lost to a top-five College of the Ozarks (Mo.) squad in double overtime. They are one game up on Morningside and trail fourth place Dordt by one full game with three games remaining in the regular season.

Douglas is in her fourth season as the head of the Broncos' program, joining the staff after a successful stint as head coach at the University of Dallas. She returns two starters and nine players from a 2017-18 team that went 15-5 in the GPAC, 26-7 overall, and lost to St. Xavier (Ill.) in the quarterfinals of the NAIA D-II Championship.

By the Numbers:  (GPAC rank / NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 75.8ppg (6th)
    Scoring Defense: 68.5 (5th)
    Field Goal Percentage: 42% (6th)
    3pt Percentage: 33% (6th), 162 3pters (10th)
    Free Throw Percentage: 75% (3rd)
    Rebound Margin: +5 (4th)
    
Top Players:  (GPAC rank / NAIA rank-if top 10)
Shandra Farmer (2x All-Conference)  15.4ppg, 30 3pters, 43% 3pt, 45 assists
Mackenzie Willicott (2x All-Conference)  11.3ppg, 51% FG, 6.2rpg, 15 blocks
Emma Grenfell 8.4ppg, 16 3pters, 73 assists, 65 steals (4th)
Gabby Grasso  8.4ppg, 4.6rpg, 32 blocks (4th)

No.2 Northwestern College: 16-3 (T2nd), 22-3            Head Coach: Chris Yaw (8th year)

With three games left to play in the regular season, Northwestern is tied with Concordia for second with a 16-3 league record, one game in back to first place Dakota Wesleyan. The Red Raiders have split their games against Concordia and DWU; the Tigers have to play Concordia this weekend in Seward, Neb. Northwestern is one of six GPAC teams ranked in the top 25, one of three in the top five. They are 22-3 overall. 

By the Numbers: (GPAC / NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 85.9ppg (2nd / 4th)
    Scoring Defense: 63.6ppg (2nd)
    Field Goal Percentage: 48% (1st / 1st)
    3pt Percentage: 37% (1st / 4th), 201 3pters (5th)
    Free Throw Percentage: 76% (2nd)
    Rebound Margin: +11 (1st / 3rd)

Top Players:  (GPAC / NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Kassidy De Jong (3x All-American)  18.4ppg (3rd), 48% FG (8th), 57 3pters (7th), 8rpg (2nd)
    Darbi Gustafson (2x All-Conference)  15.9ppg (6th), 54% FG (4th), 8.2rpg (1st)
    Haley Birks (3x All-Conference)  13.1ppg, 86% FT (3rd), 3.8rpg
    Sammy Blum - 10.9ppg, 62 3pters (3rd), 90 assists (8th)
    Anna Kiel - 9.8ppg, 5rpg, 64% FG

This marks one of the final home games for the six seniors involved with this years program; Managers-Macy Kuehler, Heather Schouten and Haley Sitzmann, and Haley Birks, Kassidy De Jong and Darbi Gustafson. 

Kassidy De Jong – 115 games played, 2,089pts (7^th all-time), 18.2ppg, 889 rebounds (6^th), 207 assists (27^th), 167 3pters, 147 steals; 103 games scored in double figures, 31 double-doubles
 
                3x All-American, 2x NAIA Scholar Athlete, 3x 1^st team all-conference, GPAC Freshman of Year
 
Haley Birks – 120 games played, 1,259pts (22^nd all-time), 10.5ppg, 523 rebounds (30^th), 148 assists, 104 steals, 130 blocks (5^th); 63 games scored in double figures
 
                                2x NAIA Scholar Athlete, 2x All-Conference
 
Darbi Gustafson – 117 games played, 1,415pts (14^th all-time), 12.1ppg, 806 rebounds (8^th), 144 assists, 95 blocks (8^th), 54% FG; 74 games scored in double figures, 29 double-doubles
 
                2x NAIA Scholar Athlete, 2x All-Conference
  
Cume Record w/ seniors:
                2019: 16-3 (GPAC), 22-3
                2018: 16-4 (T2nd GPAC), 25-9; National Semifinals
                2017: 10-10 (5^th GPAC), 20-12; National Tment 2^nd round
                2016: 10-12 (T7th GPAC), 15-14 overall
    GPAC Record: 52-29, Overall Record: 82-38