12th-ranked Northwestern lost to No.14 Dakota Wesleyan 82-56 in a conference match-up between ranked teams played tonight at the Bultman Center. 

The loss drops the Red Raiders to 6-4 in the GPAC, 11-5 overall; DWU improves to 6-4 in the conference, 13-5 overall. 

Bre Schuiteman led Northwestern with 13 points and Devyn Kemble scored 12, the lone players to score in double figures for the Red Raiders. Jada Cunningham added eight points and Alexis Toering filled up the stat sheet with four points, 10 rebounds, two assists and two blocks. 

After a Schuiteman three-pointer put Northwestern up 3-2 for its only lead of the game, Dakota Wesleyan began a 12-2 run to put the visiting Tigers up for good, 14-5, with 5:26 left in the first quarter. Four consecutive points from Makayla Karst extended the DWU lead to 11 (18-7) which matched the lead by the end of the first quarter, 26-15. 

Kynedi Cheeseman began the second quarter with a three-pointer and ended a 9-2 DWU run to put the visitors in front 35-17 with 6:33 left in the second quarter. The lead was extended to 20 until baskets by Taylor VanderVelde and Maddie Jones brought Northwestern to within 16 (43-27) at the half.

Still a 16-point game midway through the third quarter, Northwestern closed to within 12 (53-41) following a free throw by Kemble with 1:23 left in the period. DWU, however, responded with the next six points on baskets by Sarah Carr and Jessica Mieras, for a 59-41 advantage by quarters end. 

DWU outscored Northwestern 21-10 over the first six minutes of the fourth quarter to put the game away.

Northwestern struggled from the field, shooting just 31% from the field and 27% (7/26) from the three-point line. Dakota Wesleyan, in contrast, shot 58% for the game and made 8-of-9 free throw attempts (89%). 

Carr led the Tigers with 26 points; Cheeseman scored 21 and Mieras added 15 points and nine rebounds. DWU outrebounded the Red Raiders 48-28; Cheeseman dished out seven assists.