Game Time...The Northwestern College men's basketball team will begin play at the 2021 NAIA Men's Basketball Opening Round, presented by Ballogy, this weekend in Wichita, Kan. Northwestern, ranked 23rd in the final coaches' poll and the top seed in the Wichita Bracket B, will play the winner of No.2 seed / 18th-ranked Bethel (Kan.) vs No.3 seed Voorhees (S.C.) on Saturday, March 13 at 6pm. 

    NAIA Opening Round Page | Live Stats | Audio (KSOU) | Watch (payment required)

Championship Overview...The field consists of 36 automatic qualifiers and one host berth – given to conference regular season champions, regular season runners-up, tournament champions, tournament runners-up, or a team selected by the conference in absence of a tournament, depending on the league.

The number of participating teams in each league determines the number of automatic bids in each conference. Leagues that started with 10 or more schools receive two automatic berths, while conferences with less than 10 institutions receive one. If a conference started with 15 or more schools, they receive three automatic berths. 

At-large teams were determined by the NAIA Men's Basketball National Selection Committee (NSC). The NSC consists of one representative from each geographic area and six at-large members.

At Stake...The winners of each of the 16 brackets advance to the 2021 NAIA National Championship Final Site in Kansas City, Mo., at the 83^rd annual NAIA Men's Basketball National Championship, March 18-23. 

All-Time...Northwestern defeated Bethel 102-77 at the Taco John's Classic during the 2003-04 season, the only previous match-up between the two teams. The Raiders have never played against Voorhees. 

All-Time at the Championship...

    Northwestern is making its 23rd trip to the national tournament, its fourth in a consolidated NAIA (also 1987, 1972, 1971). The Raiders own a 31-20 all-time record in the national tournament, have won two titles (2001, 2003), been the runner-up once (1992) and have reached the semifinals three times (2002, 07, 08). Head Coach Kris Korver has guided Raider teams to 15 national tournaments (since 2001). 

    This is the second time Bethel has qualified for the national tournament, losing to Saint Vincent (Penn.) 76-62 in 2003 in its only prior appearance.

    Voorhees is making its ninth overall appearance at nationals, seventh at the D-I level. They qualified for the D-II national tournament in 2018 and 2019, losing in the first round both years. The Tigers made it to the D-I tournament in 1995, 99, 2004-06 and 2013. Voorhees is 1-8 all-time at nationals. 

How They Qualified...

    Northwestern earned one of the two auto bids from the Great Plains Athletic Conference by winning the postseason tournament. They are one of three GPAC teams in the 48-team field, joining Morningside and the University of Jamestown.

    Bethel earned an auto bid by virtue of winning the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference regular season title, one of two teams from the KCAC in the field (Oklahoma Wesleyan).

    Voorhees received an auto bid by winning the Association of Independent Institution postseason tournament, the only team from the AII in the field.

Scouting Reports...

    Voorhees Tigers: 3-8, 2-0         
    Head Coach: Cabral Huff 
    won two straight, three of its last four after an 0-7 start to season
    2019-20: 2-26, 0-6
    return four players from last year
    By the Numbers...(if top 10 in NAIA)
        Scoring Offense - 69.5 
        Scoring Defense - 75.6
        FG % Offense - 43%
        FG % Defense - 44%
        3pt % Offense - 30%
        3pt made / game - 6.7
        3pt % Defense - 36% 
        Reb. Margin - -7
        TO Margin - +1
    Top Players...(if top 10 in NAIA)
    Hector Rosario - 11ppg, 5.5rpg, 23 assists
    Statan Levine- 10.5ppg, 4.5rpg, 11 3pters
    Tawon Buie - 10.4pg, 14 3pters, 3.1rpg
    Joell Davis - 7.8ppg
    Malik Wood - 6.7ppg

    18th-ranked Bethel Threshers: 19-6, 16-4 (1st)          
    Head Coach: Jason Artaz (3rd year)
    won three straight; 2-1 vs ranked teams, won both KCAC Regular and Postseason titles
    1st ever KCAC postseason title; 1st regular season title since 2002-03
    unranked in preseason poll, ranked 18th in final poll
    2019-20: 20-12, 14-10 (7th of 13 teams)
    return 1 starter, 7 players from last year
    By the Numbers...(if top 10 in NAIA)
        Scoring Offense - 82 
        Scoring Defense - 73.6
        FG % Offense - 43%
        FG % Defense - 41%
        3pt % Offense - 34%
        3pt made / game - 9
        3pt % Defense - 32% 
        Reb. Margin - +1
        TO Margin - +2
    Top Players...(if top 10 in NAIA)
    Jaylon Scott - 2x KCAC Def. Player of Year, KCAC Player of Year, 15.9ppg, 12rpg (3rd in NAIA), 16 double-doubles
    Clifford Byrd II - 2nd team all-conf: 14.6ppg, 91 steals
    Bryant Mocaby - all-conference: 13.4ppg, 62 3pters, 39% 3pt
    Tavaughn Flowers: 8ppg, 58 assists
    Harper Jonas - 6.5ppg, 22 3pters

    #23 Northwestern College Raiders: 23-5, 15-5 (2nd)        
    Head Coach: Kris Korver (21st year)
    won 13 straight games, 15 of 16; won GPAC postseason title for sixth time
    unranked at start, received votes mid-season, finished 23rd
    2019-20: 20-12, 12-8 (T4th), received votes in final poll
    return 4 starters, 9 players from last year
    By the Numbers...(if top 10 in NAIA)
        Scoring Offense - 85ppg 
        Scoring Defense - 73ppg
        FG % Offense - 54% (4th)
        FG % Defense - 44%
        3pt % Offense - 40%
        3pt made / game - 9
        3pt % Defense - 34% 
        Reb. Margin - +8 
        TO Margin - -2
    Starters...(if top 10 in NAIA)
    Alex Van Kalsbeek- 20.9ppg, 75% FG (1st), 7.2rpg, 90 assists
    Trent Hilbrands - 16.3ppg, 75 3pters, 69 assists
    Craig Sterk - 13.9ppg, 56% FG, 7.5rpg
    Jay Small - 13.5ppg, 66 3pters, 119 assists
    Isaac Heyer - 8.3ppg, 42 3pters, 46% 3pt, 4.3rpg, 59 assists