Game Time... Top-seed Northwestern is set to play No.5 seed Indiana Wesleyan in a second round match-up Friday night at the 2019 NAIA Division II Women's Basketball National Championship. Tip-off is scheduled for 7pm. Northwestern, ranked fourth in the final coaches' poll, is 27-4 on the season. Indiana Wesleyan, ranked 20th in the final poll, owns a 21-12 overall record. 

Follow the game live via these different options:  Live Stats | KSOU broadcast | NAIA Video (fee required)

Championship Schedule | 

The Rivalry...Friday's game will be the fifth match-up between the two national powerhouses with all but one played at the NAIA D-II Women's Championship. Northwestern is 3-1 all-time against the Wildcats, 3-0 at the championship.They last played at the NAIA Showcase event in 2012-13 where IWU defeated Northwestern 75-59. Other match-ups are listed below: 

    2012: Northwestern def. IWU, 57-52; NAIA Quarterfinals
    2011: Northwestern def. IWU 79-58; NAIA Quarterfinals
    2010: Northwestern def. IWU 68-65; NAIA Second Round

How They Qualified...The Red Raiders earned the first of nine at-large bids into the 32-team field and are one of six teams from the Great Plains Athletic Conference, most of all leagues, in this year's field. One of three teams from the Crossroads League in the field, Indiana Wesleyan earned an at-large bid, joining both Marian and Taylor in the field. 

Championship History...Northwestern is making its third straight and 16th overall appearance at the championship, owning a 53-11 overall record, the most wins at the championship. The Red Raiders are a perfect 16-0 in the opening round. They have won five titles, also the most in the history of the championship, and reached the semifinals last season before losing to Concordia. 
    1999: 1-1
    2000: 4-1 (runner-up)
    2001: 5-0 (championship)
    2002: 2-1 (quarters)
    2006: 3-1 (semi's)
    2007: 1-1
    2008: 5-0 (championship)
    2009: 3-1 (semi's)
    2010: 5-0 (championship)
    2011: 5-0 (championship)
    2012: 5-0 (championship)
    2013: 3-1 (semi's)
    2014: 2-1 (quarters)
    2017: 1-1
    2018: 3-1 (semi's)
    2019: 1-0

Indiana Wesleyan is also playing in its 16th women's D-II championship, owning a 29-13 overall record. The Wildcats have won two national titles (2007, 2013) and reached the national semifinals in 2010. This is their second straight national tournament and have missed just once since 2003 (2017).

Scouting Reports...

    #20 / No.5 seed Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats: 12-6 (3rd), 21-12 overall

IWU finished third, four games behind Marian and Taylor, in the Crossroads League regular season, posting a 12-6 conference mark. They are 21-12 overall, defeating No.4 Bryan (Tenn.) in a first round match-up on Thursday. Margot Woughter scored 26 points, draining a 2019 championship-best seven three-pointers, and Nicole Ignasiak added 17 points and six boards for the Wildcats, who opened up a commanding lead early and led by double digits for most of the game. 

Ethan Whaley is in his second year as the Wildcats head coach, joining the women's program after a six-year stint as the assistant for the mens' team. He returns three starters and 10 players from 2018 team that lost in the second round to Southeastern (Fla.) and finished with a 25-9 record. 

Indiana Wesleyan has been ranked in the top 25 all season, beginning at #15, falling as low as 22, finishing at No.20.

Similar to Northwestern, Indiana Wesleyan is one of the top shooting (46%) and rebounding (+9) teams in the NAIA, ranking third and fourth respectively.

Nicole Ignasiak, a two-time all-conference pick, leads the team in scoring (14.4) and rebounding (7.9); she ranks third in the NAIA in field goal percentage (62%)

By the Numbers: (NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 74.2ppg 
    Scoring Defense: 62ppg 
    Field Goal Percentage: 46%  (3rd)
    3pt Percentage: 37%, 232 3pters  
    Free Throw Percentage: 70% 
    Rebound Margin: +10 (4th)

Top Players:  (NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Nicole Ignasiak (2x all-conference)  14.4ppg, 62% FG (2nd), 7.9rpg, 11 double-doubles
    Margot Woughter (Frosh of Year)  12.3ppg, 64 3pters, 38% 3pt, 108 assists 
    Anne Secrest - 10.2ppg, 6.3rpg
    Dayton Groninger - 10.1ppg, 45 3pters, 5.2rpg

No.4 Northwestern Red Raiders: 19-3 (T1st), 27-4        Head Coach: Chris Yaw (8th year)

Northwestern was the GPAC co-regular season champion. along with Concordia, going 19-3 in league play. They lost to Dakota Wesleyan in the conference semifinals and received the first at-large bid into the 32-team championship.

Five Red Raiders received all-conference honors, led by Kassidy De Jong and Darbi Gustafson with first team accolades. Haley Birkswas a second team pick and both Anna Kiel and Sammy Blum were honorable mention.

Kassidy De Jong ranks seventh all-time in career scoring (2,185pts), fifth in rebounding (938), 24th in assists (225)

Darbi Gustafson ranks 13th in career scoring (1,486), seventh in rebounding (843), seventh in blocks (103)

Haley Birks is 21st in scoring (1,313), 26th in rebounding (542), fifth in blocks (132)

Sammy Blum has hit 106 3pters for her career

By the Numbers: (NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 84.5ppg (4th)
    Scoring Defense: 63.5ppg
    Field Goal Percentage: 49% (1st)
    3pt Percentage: 37% (5th), 244 3pters 
    Free Throw Percentage: 75% 
    Rebound Margin: +10.5 (1st)

Top Players: (GPAC rank / NAIA rank-if top 10) *returning starter
     *Kassidy De Jong (3x All-American) 17.9ppg, 67 3pters, 8rpg, 11 double-doubles
     *Darbi Gustafson (3x All-Conference) 15.1ppg, 53%, 7.8rpg, 36 blocks, 11 double-doubles    
     *Haley Birks (3x All-Conference) 12.3ppg, 86 FT % (10th), 3.8rpg
     Sammy Blum - 10.9ppg, 77 3pters, 46% 3pt (3rd), 114 assists