Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Northwestern College Athletics

Northwestern College
HOME OF NORTHWESTERN RED RAIDERS ATHLETICS
HONORING CHRIST THROUGH EXCELLENCE IN ATHLETICS
Nike
mbb-recap-bcu-240214
73
Northwestern Red Raiders NWC
74
Winner Briar Cliff Chargers BCU
Northwestern Red Raiders NWC
73
Final
74
Briar Cliff Chargers BCU
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Northwestern Red Raiders NWC 37 36 73
Briar Cliff Chargers BCU 37 37 74

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

Northwestern and Briar Cliff Trade Late Baskets as Raiders Fall

25 lead changes, 17 ties in tight contest

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – No punches were pulled in a tight, back-and-forth battle at the Newman Flanagan Center on Wednesday, as Briar Cliff got to the basket with under two seconds to go to upset No. 12 Northwestern 74-73.

"Both teams were making great plays down the stretch, and we just needed one more stop," head coach Kris Korver stated. "You have to tip your cap to Stilwell and Briar Cliff for making tough plays, and we'll now look to Midland on Saturday."

As the regular season winds to a close, both the Red Raiders and Chargers brought their best efforts to the court. The largest lead for either team in the first half belonged to Northwestern at 21-17 after a Craig Sterk three with 9:06 to go. Briar Cliff led by a slim margin through the last two minutes of the half before Zach LaFave scored from beyond the arc to knot it at 37-37 at the break.
The second half spelled the same story as neither team could make a run and grab hold of the momentum. Northwestern took its largest lead at the 5:49 mark as Alex Van Kalsbeek scored in the paint to make it a 61-55 game. Briar Cliff inched back with a 5-0 run before Dillon Carlson sunk two free throws to stop the rally.

With under a minute to go, the Chargers hit a three to take a 68-67 lead. The Raiders then went 4-for-4 from the charity stripe to take a three-point lead before Briar Cliff answered with a driving layup. On the next possession, the Chargers forced a turnover on the inbound, and Blake Sindelar drew a foul and made both free throws. Trailing by one out of a timeout, Van Kalsbeek spun in the lane and scored with seven seconds remaining to give the Raiders a 73-72 lead. Matthew Stilwell then played the hero for Briar Cliff, getting to the basket for the game-winning layup.

GAME NOTES
  • Alex Van Kalsbeek led the Raiders with 23 points.
  • Craig Sterk totaled 16 points, six rebounds, and three blocks.
  • Dillon Carlson added 17 points.
  • Zach LaFave led all players with 10 rebounds.
  • Both teams got to the line often, with Northwestern going 15-for-19 and Briar Cliff 17-for-23.
  • Northwestern drops to third place in the GPAC standings.
Up Next: Northwestern will face Midland for the second time in just over a month, playing the Warriors on the road. Tip-off is set for 3:45 p.m. on Saturday, February 17.
Don't forget to follow Northwestern College Athletics on Facebook @nwcraiders, Twitter @nwcraiders, and Instagram @nwcraiders! #RaidersStandOut
Print Friendly Version