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Northwestern College Athletics

Northwestern College
HOME OF NORTHWESTERN RED RAIDERS ATHLETICS
HONORING CHRIST THROUGH EXCELLENCE IN ATHLETICS
Nike
mbb-recap-dwu-230208
65
Winner Northwestern NWC 18-7, 11-6
62
Dakota Wesleyan (SD) DWU 12-13, 8-9
Winner
Northwestern NWC
18-7, 11-6
65
Final
62
Dakota Wesleyan (SD) DWU
12-13, 8-9
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Northwestern NWC 29 36 65
Dakota Wesleyan (SD) DWU 35 27 62

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | NWC Athletic Communications

Carlson's Career-High Performance Guides NWC to Big Road Win

Raiders pick up first win in The Corn Palace since 2013

MITCHELL, S.D. – The Northwestern College men's basketball team (18-7, 11-6 GPAC) split the regular season series with Dakota Wesleyan (12-13, 8-9 GPAC) and won in Mitchell for the first time since 2013 on Wednesday. Dillon Carlson notched a career-high 29 points and hit clutch shots down the stretch to help the Raiders maintain pace in a tight Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) race.
 
Northwestern jumped out to a quick 8-2 advantage in the Corn Palace, but Dakota Wesleyan would battle back.

The Tigers scored 14 of the next 22 points, using a layup from Alan Kikwaki to tie it at 16-16 with 9:35 left in the first half.

A little past the midway point of the first half, the Tigers would lead 20-16, but a Matt Onken (R-Jr., Marshall, Minn.) layup would get the Raiders back to within two. Trailing by five, Onken again would hit a clutch bucket, a 3-pointer from the top of the key to make it 25-23.

A steal and a fast break lay-up for Zach LaFave (Jr., Elkhorn, Neb.) got the Raiders to within one-point with three minutes to play in the half (28-27).

The two teams combined for 28 3-point attempts in the first half, as the Tigers attempted 18 alone. Dakota Wesleyan would take the 35-29 halftime lead.

Onken kicked off the second half scoring with the first bucket in the paint, which spurred a 7-2 spurt to get the Red Raiders back into the game. The Red Raiders looked to Onken early in the second half, as he helped propel the Red Raiders into the lead with his early five points in the half.

Northwestern would push their lead up to seven points at 46-39, their largest of the contest, as multiple Raiders got in on the scoring action. After a DWU time out, the Tigers knocked down a 3-pointer and a fast break lay-up would cut into the Red Raider lead, making it 46-44 NWC. Once again, the Tigers would have a response and would take a 52-48 lead. Craig Sterk (Jr., McBain, Mich.) would get an and-one opportunity to give Northwestern some momentum back. The two teams would begin to heat up from deep coming down the stretch. Dillon Carlson (Sr., Ankeny, Iowa) would score the next seven Red Raider points to even the game up again, this time at 55-55.

With under a minute, DWU would make it a two-point game once again. However, Carlson would make it a four-point game once again, notching his 29th point of the game and marking a new career-high.

Carlson would simply take over the game late, knocking down back-to-back 3-pointers and single-handedly willing Northwestern to the victory. He would score 23 second half points en route to his new career-high. 

"It was a gritty performance from our guys," said head coach Kris Korver. "Our guys buckled down, competed, and found a way. It was a great team win on the road."
 
GAME NOTES:
  • Dillon Carlson set a new career-high 29 points in the first Red Raider road win against DWU since 2013.
  • After shooting just about 36% in the first half, Northwestern made 59.1% of their attempts in the second half.
  • Craig Sterk recorded his 16th-career double-double and sixth of the season.
  • Sterk scored 12 points and pulled down 16 rebounds. He is eight points away from 1,500 career points.
  • Matt Onken added 12 points.
Up Next: Northwestern returns to the Bultman Center on Saturday for Senior Day, when the Raiders play host to the Mount Marty Lancers (9-17, 5-13 GPAC) for a 3:45 tip-off.
Don't forget to follow Northwestern College Athletics on Facebook @nwcraiders, Twitter @nwcraiders, and Instagram @nwcraiders! #RaidersStandOut
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