Game Time...Northwestern College plays host to No.9 Dordt for a GPAC women's basketball match-up Wednesday night, Feb. 5, at the Bultman Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 6pm. Northwestern is in seventh place in the current league standings with a 7-9 record, 12-9 overall. Dordt is fourth in the GPAC at 12-4, 20-4 overall. 

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            Live Stats | Video/Audio | 

All-Time...Northwestern leads the all-time series 71-21, dating back to the 1976-77 season, 4-1 in the last five match-ups against the Defenders. The Red Raiders are 6-4 in their last 10 against Dordt.

    Last Five:
    2019-20: 92-84 loss
    2018-19: 91-84 win
    2018-19: 77-70 win
    2017-18: 75-64 win
    2017-18: 101-61 win
    
Last Time vs Dordt...1th-ranked Northwestern was outscored by 10 in the second half in losing to #5 Dordt University 92-84 in a fast-paced, high intensity match-up played earlier this season (Nov.20) in Sioux Center, Iowa. 

Hannah Nerem netted 17 of her career-high 18 points in helping Northwestern gain a slight 45-43 halftime lead. Nerem missed just one shot in the first half, going 8-for-9 from the floor, and shared team-high honors with Sammy Blum, who also poured in 18. 

Defenders guard Ebby Prewitt and Blum scored for their respective teams to make the score 71-69 at the nine-minute mark of the final period. Dordt then put the game away with a decisive 10-3 run, finished off with a basket by Rachel Evavold, for a 83-72 lead with five minutes left. Northwestern responded by scoring the next seven points, five by Blum and two by Alexis Toering, to cut the Defenders lead to four (83-79) but would get no closer. 

Northwestern shot 52% for the game, 21% (4/19) from the three-point line and 78% (14/18) from the free throw line. Toering (17 points) and Taylor VanderVelde (12 points) gave the Red Raiders four in double figures. Toering led hte rebounding effort with eight and both VanderVelde and Jada Cunningham dished out five assists.

Erika Feenstra and Karly Gustafson scored 23 points each to lead the Defenders; Bailey Beckman scored 12. Dordt shot 53% for the game, 21% (3/14) from the three-point line, and held a commanding 41-29 edge on the boards, pulling down 14 on the offensive glass. The host Defenders improve to 2-1 in the GPAC, 8-1 overall.

    Complete Recap | 

Scouting Reports...

    #9 Dordt University Defenders: 12-4 (GPAC), 20-4 overall            Head Coach: Bill Harmsen (2nd year)

Dordt has won three straight, six of its last seven, heading into Wednesday night's rivalry game. They sit in fourth place in the current GPAC standings, 1/2 game in back of Morningside and a comfortable three-game cushion over DWU with six left in the regular season. The Defenders own wins over Jamestown, Doane and Midland during their current streak.

Harmsen brings back three starters and eight players from a 2018-19 team that qualified for the NAIA D-II National Championship for the first time in program history, losing in the first round. They finished tied with Hastings for fourth place in the GPAC with a 13-9 record, 20-12 overall. Harmsen was named the 2018-19 GPAC Coach of the Year and his squad was picked second in this year's GPAC preseason poll. 

By the Numbers: (GPAC rank, NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 83.2ppg (3rd /10th)
    Scoring Defense: 66.3ppg (5th)
    Field Goal Percentage: 47% (1st / 5th)
    3pt Percentage:31% (8th), 150 3pters (10th)
    Free Throw Percentage: 74% (6th)
    Rebound Margin: +11 (1st / 4th)

    Top Players:  (NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Erika Feenstra (All-American) - 18.5ppg (2nd), 6.1rpg, 62% FG (1st / 1st)
    Rachel Evavold (2x All-Conference) - 10.4ppg, 62% FG, 5.4rpg, 22 blocks
    Karly Gustafson - 10.1ppg, 59% FG, 6.6rpg (6th)
    Bailey Beckman - 7.6ppg, 37 assists
    Gabby Kreykes - 6.7ppg, 3rpg, 30 assists

Northwestern Red Raiders: 7-9 (7th), 12-9        Head Coach: Chris Yaw (9th year)

The Red Raiders have lost straight, two of which were to top-five teams (Concordia, Hastings), to fall into seventh place in the current GPAC standings at 7-9, 12-9 overall. They are 2-6 since the new year, defeating College of Saint Mary and Doane.

By the Numbers: (GPAC rank / NAIA rank if top 10)
    Scoring Offense: 81.3ppg (4th)
    Scoring Defense: 67.9ppg (7th)
    Field Goal Percentage: 44% (5th)
    3pt Percentage: 37% (1st / 8th), 210 3pters (3rd / 10th)
    Free Throw Percentage: 78% (2nd / 3rd)
    Rebound Margin: +2 (4th)

Top Players:  
    Sammy Blum (All-Conf) - 15ppg (6th), 46% FG (10th), 53 3pters (3rd), 66 assists (7th)
    Alexis Toering - 10.9ppg, 7.7rpg (1st), 52 steals (9th)
    Devyn Kemble - 10.6ppg, 33 3pters, 33% 3pt 
    Bre Schuiteman - 10.5ppg, 46 3pters (7th), 37% 3pt (5th)
    Taylor VanderVelde - 7.7ppg, 15 3pters, 5rpg, 74 assists (5th)