Game Time... Familiar postseason rivals meet once again as top-seed Northwestern plays No.2 College of the Ozarks (Mo.) for a trip to the national semifinals. Tip-off for the quarterfinal match-up is scheduled for Saturday night at 8pm. Northwestern is 28-4 on the season and College of the Ozarks is 31-3.

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

Championship Schedule | 

The Rivalry...This will be the sixth time the two postseason rivals have played against each other, all coming at the NAIA D-II National Championship Tournament. Northwestern holds a slim 3-2 lead in the series but lost the last match-up back in 2013-14.

    2014: Northwestern lost to Ozarks 90-69 in Quarterfinals
    2012: Northwestern def. Ozarks 75-62 in Championship game
    2012: Northwestern def. Ozarks 82-75 in Championship game
    2007: Northwestern lost to Ozarks 88-82 (OT) in 2nd round
    2000: Northwestern def. Ozarks 80-77 (OT) in 1st 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.

College of the Ozarks, one of three teams from the Association of Independent Institutions, earned an auto bid by way of winning the postseason conference tournament. Indiana Northwest and Wilberforce are the other two teams from the AII to qualify into the 32-team field.


Championship History...Northwestern is making its third straight and 16th overall appearance at the championship, owning a 54-11 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: 2-0

Ozarks is making is 24th appearance, most among all teams, at the NAIA D-II championship. The Bobcats have missed the tournament just twice since 1993 (1994 and 2001). They are now 45-24 at the championship, second most wins (to Northwestern), and have reached the quarterfinals 10 of the 13 seasons. They own a 6-3 record in the quarterfinals, reaching the semi's six times and a five-time national runner-up, most recently in 2014.

Scouting Reports...

    #5 ranked / No.2 seed College of the Ozarks Bobcats: 12-0, 31-3    Head Coach: Becky Mullis (6th year)

The Bobcats are one of six teams with 30+ wins at the D-II level, owning an impressive 31-3 record. They have won 15 straight games since losing to Columbia (Mo.) in overtime, 77-67, on Jan. 15. They finished a perfect 12-0 in AII play and won the conference tournament, defeating national qualifier IU Northwest 88-65. Ozarks other two losses are to Lyon (Ark.) and #2 Southeastern (Fla.), their only setback against a D-II team.

Ozarks has defeated Kansas Wesleyan (91-51) and Hastings (86-55) to get to Saturday's quarterfinal. The duo of Cassidy Johnson (43 points combined) and Kelsie Cleeton (41 points) have led the Bobcats in the first two games. 

Mullis is in her sixth season as head coach and spent 11 years as an assistant for the Bobcats prior. Mullis, the reigning coach of the year in the AII, has averaged 23 wins during her time as head coach. She returns three starters and seven players from a team that lost to St. Francis (Ill.) in the second round to finish 31-2. 

Ozarks ranks fifth in the NAIA in scoring and second in three-pointers made (411)

Bobcats are shooting 40% from beyond the arc, tops in the NAIA

Led by 2x AII player of the year, 3x Defensive Player of the year, Kelsie Cleeton-also a 2x All-American

Cassidy Johnson, another 2x All-American, leads the NAIA with 129 3pters

By the Numbers: (NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 83.8ppg (5th)
    Scoring Defense: 53.3 (2nd) 
    Field Goal Percentage: 45%  (7th)
    3pt Percentage: 40% (1st), 411 3pters  (2nd)
    Free Throw Percentage: 74% 
    Rebound Margin: +7

Top Players:  (NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Cassidy Johnson (2x All-American) 19ppg (9th), 129 3pters (1st), 47% 3pt (2nd), 79 assists
    Kelsie Cleeton (2x All-American, 3x Def. Player, 2x Player of Year)  13.8ppg, 51% FG, 11.7rpg (3rd), 189 assists (3rd)
    Abby Oliver (All-Conference)  13ppg, 76 3pters, 39% 3pt
    Madisen Brethower (All-Conference)  9.6ppg, 50 3pters

No.4 Northwestern Red Raiders: 19-3 (T1st), 28-4        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.

Wins over Olivet Nazarene (93-80) and Indiana Wesleyan (83-70) have put the Red Raiders into their second straight and 13th overall quarterfinal

Northwestern is 10-2 in the quarterfinals, advancing in 2000, 2001, 2006, 2008-13 and 2018

Kassidy De Jong ranks seventh all-time in career scoring (2,205pts), fifth in rebounding (945), 24th in assists (225)

Darbi Gustafson is now 12th in career scoring (1,494pts), seventh in rebounding (852), seventh in blocks (104)

Haley Birks is 21st in scoring (1,322), 26th in rebounding (547), fifth in blocks (132)

Sammy Blum has hit 111 3pters for her career

By the Numbers: (NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 84.4ppg (4th)
    Scoring Defense: 63.7ppg
    Field Goal Percentage: 49% (1st)
    3pt Percentage: 37% (5th), 252 3pters 
    Free Throw Percentage: 75% 
    Rebound Margin: +11 (1st)

Top Players: (GPAC rank / NAIA rank-if top 10) *returning starter
     *Kassidy De Jong (3x All-American) 18ppg, 67 3pters, 8rpg, 11 double-doubles
     *Darbi Gustafson (3x All-Conference) 14.9ppg, 52%, 7.8rpg, 36 blocks, 11 double-doubles    
     *Haley Birks (3x All-Conference) 12.2ppg, 86 FT %, 3.8rpg
     Sammy Blum - 11.1ppg, 82 3pters, 47% 3pt (1st), 116 assists 
    Anna Kiel - 10.2ppg, 65% FG, 5.1rpg
    Bre Schuiteman - 7.3ppg, 49 3pters