Trent Hilbrands netted a game-high 26 points in leading Northwestern to an 89-76 win over Briar Cliff in a GPAC match-up played tonight at the Bultman Center.

The win ends a three-game losing skid for the Red Raiders, who improve to 7-5 in the GPAC, 15-7 overall. Northwestern sweeps the season series against BCU, who drops to 2-11 in the GPAC, 11-11 overall. 

Converting on 10-of-23 field goal attempts, Hilbrands scored 26 points, breaking the 20-point mark for the ninth time this season. The junior also contributed six rebounds and two assists. Jay Small netted 19 points and Keegan Van Egdom recorded his first double-double with 12 points and a career-best 12 rebounds. Both Craig Sterk and Isaac Heyer put in 10 points each as all five Red Raider starters scored in double figures. 

A close game early with four ties and 11 lead changes during the first seven minutes, Northwestern went on a 13-0 run, fueled by 11 points from Small, to take the lead for good, 31-20, with 10 minutes left. The teams traded baskets over the next eight minutes until Briar Cliff trimmed the lead down to five, 53-48, by halftime on a three-pointer by Conner Groves. 

Northwestern began the second half with a 9-3 surge, finished off with a Hilbrands floater, to put his team up by double-digits, 62-51. Four free throws by Van Egdom and a basket by Sterk extended the Red Raider lead to 16 (75-59) with seven minutes to go. Briar Cliff made one final push, outscoring the hosts 12-2 over the next three minutes to narrow the margin to six, 77-71, at the five minute mark. 

Baskets by Heyer and Small followed by a three-pointer by Dalton Moser triggered a 10-1 Northwestern run to put the game away during the final minutes.

Northwestern shot 49% for the game, 33% (9/27) from the three-point line; Briar Cliff shot 47% for the game but was held to 32% in the final half. The Red Raiders outrebounded BCU 40-30 and committed one less turnover (11-10).

Briar Cliff was led by Jackson Lamb with 20 points and Nick Hoyt added 15.