Shooting woes plagued the Northwestern College men's basketball team in its 74-63 loss to (RV) Concordia in the GPAC Quarterfinals played tonight in Seward, Neb.

Northwestern has lost three straight and heads to the NAIA Division II National Championship with a 20-11 overall record. Concordia, the No.4 seed in the GPAC Tournament, keeps its national tournament hopes alive and improves to 22-9.

The Red Raiders made a season-low two three-pointers, none in the second half, and shot a season-worst 12% (2/18) from beyond the arc. 

Tied at 53, Northwestern was outscored 21-10 and limited to just five field goals over the final nine minutes. 

Craig Sterk matched his season-best with a game-high 24 points, one of two Red Raiders to score in double figures. Sterk pulled down nine boards, one shy of earning his fifth double-double. Noah Slagter came off the bench to score 10 points and pull down 10 rebounds for his first double-double. 

Northwestern shot 41% for the game and outrebounded Concordia 43-37. 

A 9-2 Concordia run put the hosts in front 17-10 at the halfway point of the first half. Northwestern answered with a 13-5 surge, fueled by Keegan Van Egdom with five points, to take its first lead since early on, 23-22. The Red Raiders held a one-point advantage, 32-31, at halftime.

Northwestern played its best at the start of the second half, outscoring the hosts 13-2, to open up a 45-33 lead and force Concordia into a timeout. The Bulldogs stormed back with a 16-4 run, limiting the Red Raiders to a couple of Grant Rohrer baskets over a four-minute span, to tie the game at 49. The game was still tied, 53-53, with 8:49 left, setting up the decisive run for the Bulldogs.

Concordia shot 39% for the game, 41% (12/29) from the arc; Justin Wiersema scored 22 points and Brevin Sloup added 16 points, five boards and four assists.