CRETE, Neb. – A late overtime three from senior
Trent Hilbrands propelled the Raiders (18-8, 10-6 GPAC) to an 84-83 win over Doane University (15-11, 8-8 GPAC) Saturday evening as the Raiders picked up their 10th league victory of the season.
The first half proved that a tough Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) contest would ensue. Both teams traded baskets during the opening minutes of the game, as a layup by
Noah Slagter would tie the game at 12. Doane would go on to build a seven-point lead with just over five minutes to play in the first half. The Raiders would chip away but go into the halftime break with a 37-32 deficit.
The back and forth play continued as the second half got underway, but quickly turned into a game of runs. Back-to-back buckets from
Alex Van Kalsbeek and
Connor Geddes (Fr., Sioux Falls, S.D./Harrisburg) tied the game at 37. Alec Oberhauser would go on to score three out of Doane's next four baskets. Northwestern would answer back on each of their own possessions. A quick 8-0 run by Doane would give them a five point lead (52-47) with just under 14 minutes to play. Van Kalsbeek and Hilbrands would answer to tie the game again at 52. Doane would again go on a quick 7-0 run and this time a
Grant DeMeulenaere three point make would be the Raider's response.
Northwestern would continue to hang around, never letting Doane extend their lead past five in the final ten minutes of play. After a
Matt Onken (R-So., Marshall, Minn./Marshall) offensive rebound that led to Hilbrands being fouled and making two of two at the line the game was tied at 68 with 1:49 left to play. A Doane turnover would lead to a Van Kalsbeek jumper to give the Raiders a two-point lead. A missed front end of one-and-one free throws would give the ball back to the Raiders. DeMeulenaere would nail a three extending the Raider lead to five with 35 seconds left in regulation. Oberhauser would rattle home a three giving Doane late life pulling them within two. Doane would foul Hilbrands, he would hit one of two. Oberhauser would answer the call for the Tigers in the final seconds of regulation, hitting a three at the buzzer to send the game to overtime.
Doane would carry that momentum into overtime taking a seven-point lead into the final minute and a half. A big three by Geddes would pull the Raiders within four. A defensive stop would give the ball back to Northwestern, Hilbrands would score a layup with 54 seconds to go and reduce the deficit to two. Two missed free throws by Doane would give Northwestern the ball with just under 30 seconds to go. A Hilbrands three was just off the mark but an offensive rebound by Slagter would give the three-point specialist Hilbrands another shot. This time the senior wouldn't miss his opportunity, giving Northwestern a one-point lead with 13 seconds left on the clock. Oberhauser would have one last look at it for Doane, but this one would not fall as the Raiders picked up their 10
th conference win on the season.
Hilbrands (Sr., Remsen, Iowa/Le Mars Community) would finish with 33 points, nailing six three pointers. Van Kalsbeek (So., Orange City, Iowa/MOC-Floyd Valley) would finish with 24 points and nine rebounds, he also tallied four assists. DeMeulenaere (Sr., Altoona, Iowa/Grand View Christian) and Slagter (Sr., Willmar, Minn./Willmar) would both finish with four assists a piece, tying them for the team lead with Van Kalsbeek.
The game marked the second overtime game of the season for Northwestern. Both games have come in conference play and on the road, and Northwestern improves to 2-0 in overtime contests this season.
Up Next: The Raiders will travel to Dakota Wesleyan to take on the Tigers on Wednesday, February 9, with tip-off set for 7:45 p.m. on the campus of Dakota Wesleyan University.
