Game Time... The Northwestern College men's basketball team opens postseason play on Wednesday night, Feb. 26, against Concordia in the 4 vs 5 match-up of the GPAC Tournament. Tip-off at the Walz Arena is scheduled for 8pm. Northwestern, received votes in the last week's coaches' poll and is the No.5 seed with a 20-10 overall record; Concordia, the No.4 seed, is 21-9 this season. Both teams finished 12-8 in GPAC play and tied for fourth place.

    GPAC Tournament Press Release | 

    Follow the game live via the following options:

        Live Stats | Video (payment required) | KSOU audio

All-Time...Northwestern leads the all-time series 52-23 and is 7-3 in the last 10 games against Concordia. The Bulldogs swept the regular season meetings this season, defeating NW 86-82 in Seward, Neb. on Jan. 29 and 88-65 on Jan.2 in Orange City.

    Last Five vs Concordia:
    2019-20: 88-82 loss
                   88-65 loss
    2018-19: 76-59 win
                   79-64 win
    2017-18: 111-103 win
                   
Earlier This Season...

    Jan. 29 Recap...Northwestern's late comeback fell short in an 86-82 defeat against (RV) Concordia in a GPAC match-up played Jan.29 in Seward, Neb. 

Down 22 (64-40) with 12 minutes left to go, a Dalton Moser three-pointer initiated a 14-2 run to put Northwestern within striking distance, 66-54, at the 8:47 mark. The teams traded baskets over the next five minutes, until, with the Red Raiders still behind 13 (80-67), a 15-4 surge made it a two-point game with 30 seconds left, 84-82. Grant DeMeulenaere had nine points during the run, including two three-pointers and three free throws. 

Concordia guard Carter Kent made one free throw to put the hosts up 85-82 with 13 seconds left and Northwestern missed two potential game-tying three-pointers during the final seconds. 

Trent Hilbrands led a balanced Red Raider scoring effort with 15 points, followed by Jay Small and Craig Sterk with 13 points each. DeMeulenaere added 12 points, five assists and Noah Slagter contributed nine points, a career-high eight boards and four assists. 

        Complete Recap |

    Jan. 2 Recap...Carter Kent poured in a game-high 25 points in leading Concordia to an 88-65 upset win over 19th-ranked Northwestern on the Red Raiders home court Jan.2 at the Bultman Center. 

Northwestern shot 44% for the game, 35% (8/23) from the three-point line; Jay Small led Head Coach Kris Korver's squad with 17 points followed by 11 points from both Craig Sterk and Keegan Van Egdom. Small and Van Egdom led the team with seven rebounds each and Sterk matched his career-high with four assists. 

Kent, the reigning GPAC Freshman of the Year, drained five three-pointers en route to a 25-point effort. Smith came off the bench to score 14, going 3-for-3 from beyond the arc, and Justin Wiersema added 12. Concordia outrebounded the hosts 41-39 and committed just five turnovers compared to 16 by Northwestern.

    Full Recap | 

Scouting Reports...

    Concordia Bulldogs: 12-8 (T4th), 21-9 overall        Head Coach: Ben Limback (7th year)

Fresh off an impressive 101-92 overtime win at Jamestown, Concordia begins postseason play on a roll, winning its last four games, three by under 10 points. The Bulldogs climbed into a fourth place tie with Northwestern and earned the No.4 seed due to its wins over the Red Raiders during the regular season. They finished with a 12-8 league record, 21-9 overall, and have wins against Hastings, Mount Marty, Midland and Jamestown to close the season.

Limback returns four starters and eight players from a 2018-19 team that finished eighth in the GPAC with a 7-13 record, 15-16 overall. A loss to Morningside ended the Bulldogs season last year and they were picked to finish eighth in the GPAC preseason poll. Limback spent nine years as the head coach at Concordia (Mich.) before returning to his alma mater in 2013.

By the Numbers: (GPAC / NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 79.4ppg (9th)
    Scoring Defense: 71.3ppg (3rd)
    Field Goal Percentage: 45% (9th)
    3pt Percentage: 36% (8th), 333 3pters (4th / 9th)
    Free Throw Percentage: 69% (8th)
    Rebound Margin: +4 (5th)

    Top Players:  (GPAC / NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Brevin Sloup (All-Conference) - 16.2ppg (10th), 83 3pters (7th), 4.4rpg, 87 assists (7th) 
    Tanner Shuck (2x All-Conference) - 12.9ppg, 54 3pters 17 blocks
    Carter Kent (All-Conf / Freshman of the Year) - 12.6ppg, 61 3pters, 64 assists
    Justin Wiersema - 10.2ppg, 27 3pters, 76 assists (10th)

  (RV) Northwestern: 12-8 (T4th), 20-10 overall        Head Coach: Kris Korver (20th year)

The Red Raiders have lost two straight, both to ranked teams, heading into Wednesday night's quarterfinal against Concordia. They lost to both Dakota Wesleyan and Morningside last week, both by double digits, to drop into a tie for fourth place with Concordia. They are 20-10 overall and had won five straight prior to last week's losses.

     By the Numbers: (GPAC / NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 85.6ppg (5th)
    Scoring Defense: 78.5ppg (7th)
    Field Goal Percentage: 48% (5th)
    3pt Percentage: 38% (6th), 344 3pters (3rd/4th)
    Free Throw Percentage: 76% (3rd / 9th)
    Rebound Margin: +4 (6th)

    Top Players:  (GPAC / NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Trent Hilbrands (All-American) - 17.8ppg (5th), 87 3pters (6th), 45% 3pt (6th), 73 assists 
    Jay Small (All-Conference) - 14.9ppg, 84 3pters (6th), 6.6rpg (8th), 77 assists 
    Craig Sterk (All-Conference) - 13.9ppg, 39 3pters, 5.2rpg, 31 blocks (3rd)
    Grant Rohrer - 10.9ppg, 68% FG, 4.7rpg