YANKTON, S.D. – The (RV) Northwestern College men's basketball team (15-5, 7-3 GPAC) erased a 15-point halftime deficit to down the Mount Marty Lancers (5-15, 1-10 GPAC) in overtime thanks to 35 points from Trent Hilbrands.  
 
"We had some great senior leadership tonight by Hilbrands," said head coach Kris Korver. "A lot of big plays down the stretch!"
 
The game started back and forth, eventually finding the score tied at 12-12 with 13 minutes left in the opening half. A 13-2 Lancer run would give all momentum to the home squad, as they would take the 25-14 lead with 10 minutes to go in the half. Another 10-2 spurt would give Mount Marty even more momentum as they opened up their largest lead of the contest at 17, 39-22 with two minutes left in the first twenty minutes. Ultimately, the Lancers would take a 43-28 lead into the locker room.
 
Hilbrands (Sr., Remsen, Iowa/Le Mars Community) had 11 first half points to lead all scorers at the break. Mount Marty seemingly could not miss, shooting a stellar 62.1% from the floor in the opening 20 minutes.
 
Northwestern opened up the second half on a 6-0 run to cut the Mount Marty lead down to single digits again at nine, 43-34. It would only foreshadow what was to come later in the half. With 14:48 remaining in the game, the Lancers tied their largest lead of the contest at 17, leading 53-36. Back-to-back 3-pointers from Conner Geddes (Fr., Sioux Falls, S.D./Harrisburg) and Hilbrands would spark a 20-6 run for Northwestern, as Hilbrands would erupt for 17 of the 20 points, cutting the Lancer deficit to just three (59-56) with 10 minutes to play.
 
Mount Marty would respond by building their lead back up to eight at 66-58 with seven and a half remaining. An Alex Van Kalsbeek (So., Orange City, Iowa/MOC-Floyd Valley) jumper would cut the MMU lead down to two (67-65) with four and a half to play. The Raiders would take their first lead since 12-9 (13:36 1H) at 70-69 with 1:36 left on the clock. Van Kalsbeek attempts to end the game in regulation, but his shot would not fall and the game would head to overtime.
 
Northwestern jumped out to a five-point 78-73 lead in overtime thanks to a three-point bucket from Geddes and a jumper from Van Kalsbeek. Four straight Lancer free throws would pull them within one, 78-77. The Raiders couldn't extend their lead on the next possession and Mount Marty took back the lead with a jumper from Elijah Pappas, taking a 79-78 lead. Hilbrands would be fouled shooting a three, as he would convert all three free throws. Mount Marty would then tie the game again at 81-81 at the free throw line with 35 seconds remaining.
 
The Raiders would work the shot clock in what would prove to be the final possession of the game. Hilbrands would miss his jump shot, but a stellar save by Matt Onken (R-So., Marshall, Minn./Marshall) got the ball to Van Kalsbeek who laid it up and in with just under two seconds remaining.
 
"They focused so much on Alex and other guys stepped up tonight," noted Korver. "Our guys dug in and found some Raider magic, found a way to get the win!"
 
Hilbrands erupted for 35 points, the seventh time in his Raider career that he has dropped 30+ points. He scored 24 points in the second half, single-handedly bringing the Raiders back into the contest. He shot 12-for-19 from the floor, including 6-for-12 from deep. Van Kalsbeek scored 18 points, and Geddes dropped 17 points. Geddes shot 5-for-8 from behind the three-point line. Onken tallied eight points and a team-leading 13 rebounds.

Up Next: The Raiders return to the hardwood on Saturday as the Midland Warriors (14-6, 5-5 GPAC) come to town for the second meeting between the two teams this season. Tip-off is slated for 3:45 p.m., following the conclusion of the women's game.