Northwestern at Briar Cliff

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Game Time... The eighth-ranked Red Raiders look for their 10th straight win as they play GPAC rival Briar Cliff in Sioux City, Iowa, on Wednesday, Jan. 16. Tipoff for the men's game is slated for 8:00 pm.

Scouting Report... The Chargers are currently sixth in the conference with a 5-3 record and are 12-7 overall. They are 2-1 since the new year as they have defeated Concordia (66-65) and Dana (76-69) while falling to #2 Morningside in overtime, 93-81. Head Coach Todd Barry, in his fourth season with the Chargers, returns all five starters and seven of his top nine players from a 2006-07 squad that finished with a 13-16 overall record. They are led by senior guard Neil Rohe, a first team all-GPAC performer last season. Rohe is fourth in the GPAC in both points (16.3) and rebounds (6.3) per game and is fifth in field goal percentage (57%). Senior forward Adi Cizmic, a second team all-league player in 2006-07, is averaging 13.4 points per game. Cizmic is shooting nearly 40% (30/76) from beyond the arc this season. Senior sharp-shooting guard Kurt Webb averages 10 points per game and is seventh in the league with 36 three pointers. Another senior, 6-7 Dehonis Williams, mans the interior for the Chargers averaging close to five boards to go with 8.6 points per game. He also leads the team with 20 blocks. Junior point guard Brett Ratcliff averages 7.6 points and has dished out 51 assists. Off the BCU bench comes guards Kelvin Adams and Brock Cooper as well as newcomers Michael Dickes and Matt Geelan. Cooper and Adams have combined for 13 three pointers this season while Geelan averages 4.2 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.

The Chargers as a team are sixth in the league averaging 75 points per game while giving up just 67 points, fourth best in the GPAC. Defensively, teams are shooting 40% from the floor, 33% from beyond the arc, both of which are second best in the league.

Last Time Out... Briar Cliff lost in overtime to Morningside last Saturday night, 93-81. It was their second loss of the season to the second-ranked and soon to be #1 Mustangs. The Chargers trailed by six, 39-33, at halftime but came back to lead by six with under two minutes to go. Morningside, however, outscored BCU 7-1 over the final stretch, which included a three pointer as the horn sounded which sent the game into overtime. The Chargers were outscored in the overtime period, 14-2, and fell to 12-7 overall. Adi Cizmic led four BCU players in double figures with 20 points. Brett Ratcliff, Kurt Webb and Neil Rohe added 14 points each.

Northwestern defeated Doane last Saturday afternoon, 92-64, for their ninth straight win. The Red Raiders trailed early on, 13-12, before a 15-4 run, keyed by four straight three pointers by four different players, put NWC up for good. Coach Korver's squad led by 14 at the half and by as much as 31 points in the second half. All five starters scored in double figures for NWC, led by Curt Schilling with 17 points.

Red Raider Notes...Wednesday's game against BCU is the only game for the Red Raiders this week as they will have the league bye this weekend. Northwestern, currently ranked eighth in the NAIA, has won nine straight games and is in sole possession of second place in the GPAC. They are first in the conference in scoring (90ppg), field goal percentage (52%) and rank in the top five in three pointers, three point percentage, free throw percentage and rebounding. Curt Schilling leads the GPAC averaging 20.5 points per game. The senior sharp-shooter leads the league with 52 three pointers this season. Chad Schuiteman averages a double-double per game, 15.6 points and 11.4 rebounds, best in the league. He also leads the league in steals (40) and is second in assists (76). Kale Wiertzema averages 14 points per game, 12th best in the GPAC. He has made 22 three pointers for 44%. Mark DeYounge (9.6) and Andrew Stimson (7.8) round out the starting lineup for NWC. Ryan Hoogeveen, Ben Brown, Wade Vander Maten and Travis Van Regenmorter are the top reserves off the bench for Coach Korver's squad.

GPAC Notes... Wednesday is a big day on the men's side of the GPAC race as five of the six top teams are in action against one another. Besides NWC vs BCU, Dordt hosts Dakota Wesleyan while Morningside hosts USF.

Next Up... The Red Raiders do not play the rest of the week. They will next host Mount Marty on Wednesday, Jan. 23 at 8:00 pm.