Trent Hilbrands scored a career-high 38 points in the Red Raiders 93-76 loss to #9 Dakota Wesleyan in a GPAC match-up played tonight in Mitchell, S.D. 

The setback ends the five-game win streak and drops Northwestern to fourth place in the GPAC at 12-7, 20-9 overall. Dakota Wesleyan clinches a tie for second place in the GPAC regular season with a 13-6 record, improving to 21-7 overall. 

Hilbrands eclipsed his previous career-best (36pts vs Mount Marty), making 13-of-21 field goal attempts all eight free throws. The junior has scored in double figures in 25 games, has 10 20+ point games and surpassed 30 points three times. 

Jay Small was the only other Red Raider to score in double figures with 11. The Red Raiders shot 42% for the game, 39% (10/26) from the arc; without Hilbrands, Northwestern shot just 33% (14/43). 

Northwestern was down the whole game, falling behind 8-0 after the first three minutes and 23-9 by the 10-minute mark. Head Coach Kris Korver's squad managed to cut the lead down to single digits three separate times in the first half, the final at 32-23 after a jumper by Hilbrands with 5:23 left. DWU scored the next seven points, however, and led by 13, 41-28, by halftime. 

A basket by Hilbrands on the first possession of the second half trimmed the Tigers lead to 11 but that was as close as Northwestern would get. A 9-2 DWU run pushed the lead to 18 (50-32) and the Tigers held their first 20+ advantage after a Collin Kramer three-pointer, 72-51, with 5:52 on the clock.

Dakota Wesleyan was led by Koln Oppold with a career-best 32 points, making 10-of-15 field goal attempts. Ty Hoglund added 21 and both Kramer (17) and Mason Larson (13) were also in double figures. The Tigers held a big edge on the glass, outrebounding NWC 36-25; led by Kramer and Larson with eight.

Northwestern will host Morningside on Saturday, Feb. 22 for senior / parent's day.