12th-ranked Northwestern College opened the new year with a 97-81 loss to No.1 Concordia in a GPAC match-up between ranked teams played tonight at the Bultman Center. 

The Red Raiders dropped their third game of the season, falling to 5-3 in the GPAC, 10-3 overall; Concordia stays unbeaten in league play, improving to 8-0 in the GPAC, 13-1 overall. 

With Northwestern trailing by three (23-20) following a fast-paced, high-scoring first quarter, Concordia scored the first seven points of the second period to stretch the lead to 10 after a three-pointer by Riley Sibbel. Consecutive baskets by Devyn Kemble brought Northwestern back to within six (35-29) but a gradual Concordia run put the Bulldogs up 12, 51-39, by halftime. 

The teams played even (25-25) in another high-scoring quarter as Northwestern continued to trail Concordia by 12, 76-64, heading into the final period. The Bulldogs then put the game away with a 12-5 run to start the fourth quarter, led by Riley Sibbel with eight points during the surge, as Northwestern could not get closer than 12 during the final period. 

Alexis Toering led Northwestern with 16 points, going 6-for-11 from the field, to go with six rebounds. Sammy Blum scored 13 points and both Taylor VanderVelde and Devyn Kemble contributed 12 points each. Northwestern shot 48% from the field, just 26% (6/23) from the three-point line, and held a slim 35-34 advantage on the glass. Jada Cunningham played a solid floor game with a career-best nine assists. 

Grace Barry led all players with 18 points and dished out nine assists as the Bulldogs' floor general. All-American forward Philly Lammers scored 17 points to go with six boards and Riley Sibbel and (15) and Mackenzie Koepke (13) were also in double figures. Concordia, the NAIA's top team in forcing turnovers (35/game), forced Northwestern into 24 while committing 19 of their own.

Northwestern will head to Crete, Neb. to play Doane on Saturday, Jan. 4.