Balanced scoring and a big first quarter were the keys in leading No.12 Northwestern to an 85-44 road win over Doane in a GPAC match-up played this afternoon in Crete, Neb.

Northwestern improves to 6-3 in the GPAC, 11-3 overall, heading into an important week featuring games against ranked teams, Dakota Wesleyan and Morningside.

Bre Schuiteman scored a game-high 14 points to go with four rebounds and four assists. Emilee Danner and Jada Cunningham provided the scoring punch coming off the bench with 13 and 12 points, respectively. The duo combined to make four three-pointers.

Northwestern scored the first seven points and raced out to a 14-2 advantage following a three-pointer from Cunningham at the halfway point of the first quarter. Leading 26-6, the Red Raiders ended the quarter by scoring the final seven points via a three-pointer by Schuiteman and lay-ups by Maddie Jones and Alexis Toering for a 33-6 lead. 

A jumper by Danner put Northwestern up 30 (38-8) at the six-minute mark and Taylor VanderVelde converted a lay-up to give her team their largest lead, 49-10, of the first half. Head Coach Chris Yaw's squad shot 58% and held Doane to 17% from the field, 0-6 from the three-point line, in the first half. 

Northwestern extended its lead to as much as 44 in a second half where all 12 players saw at least four minutes of court time. 

The Red Raiders shot 51% for the game, 32% (8/25) from the three-point line. Sammy Blum (11 points) and Devyn Kemble (10 points) were the final two players to put up double figures. Yaw's squad held a significant edge on the boards, 47-30,  and outscored Doane 42-24 in the paint. Alexis Toering grabbed seven rebounds and both Danner and Schuiteman pulled down five. 

Doane shot 26% for the game, 12% (2/17) from beyond the arc, and was led by Halle Konz and Haylee Heits with 12 points each. The Tigers are now 0-9 in the conference, 1-13 overall.