Buena Vista at Northwestern

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Game Time... Northwestern plays host to Buena Vista (NCAA D-III) in a non-conference men's basketball game Saturday afternoon at 4:00 pm. The Red Raiders are 9-4 and continued to receive votes in the NAIA D-II poll released this past Monday. Buena Vista comes in with a three-game win streak and are 5-3 this season. Watch/listen live to the play-by-play via the NWC webcast at the following link: Watch/Listen Now!

All-Time Record... Northwestern leads the all-time series against Buena Vista, 26-11, dating back to the 1960-61 season. The Beavers, however, have won the last two match-ups (99-86 in 2006-07 and 81-74 in 2003-04) and hold a 3-2 advantage in the last five meetings. Northwestern last defeated BVU 82-68 in 2001-02.

Scouting Report on Buena Vista... After a 2-3 start to the season, the Beavers and head coach Brian Van Haaften won three straight games and are 5-3 this season. Their five wins include non-conference opponents Wayne State (62-61) and Grinnell (school record of 126 points in the 126-85 win), along with wins over conference schools Luther (64-51), Loras (77-69) and Central (77-68). Last time out, freshman Troy Ticknor scored nine of his career-high 17 points in the final 4:20 of the contest, including a key three-pointer which helped spark an 18-8 run in Buena Vista's win over Central College. Ticknor finished 2-of-5 from downtown and made all seven free-throw attempts, while playing just 16 minutes. Wes Nordquist was a perfect 6-of-6 from the field and 4-of-5 from the free-throw line to follow with 16 points. Senior Kevin Osborn was also perfect from the field (4-of-4), including 2-of-2 from long range, en route to a career-best 13 points. He also chalked up a game-high six assists. 

Van Haaften is in his 14th season as the Beaver's head coach and has amassed a 76% winning percentage during his tenure. He has over 275 wins and has guided the Beavers to a winning record in each of his 14 seasons. The Beavers won the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference seven times and finished second four times under his tutelage. Last year, Buena Vista won the IIAC conference regular season with a 15-1 record but lost in the conference semifinals to finish 23-3. The Beavers lost all five starters and return just five letter winners off last year's squad.

Nathan Parker is one of five seniors on the squad and returns after coming off the bench and playing in all 26 games last season. Parker is tied for the team lead in scoring, netting 12.1 points per game. The 6-4 guard is shooting 59% from the floor, leads the team with 23 assists and pulls down 4.1 boards per game. Jeff Janssen and Kevin Osborn also return for Coach Van Haaften's squad and average 7.1 and 5.4 points per game. Janssen is tied for the team lead with 10 three-pointers while Osborn is shooting a team-best 44% from beyond the arc (8/18). Steve Gute, the tallest  player in the IIAC at 7-0, returns in the front court and averages 6.7 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. Doug Bissen, a 6-7 sophomore, is tied for the team lead in scoring (12.1) and leads the team in rebounds (6.1) and blocked shots (8). Two freshmen have made a significant impact on the Beavers' roster so far this season. Wes Nordquist, a 6-7 forward, is shooting 64% from the floor and averages 12 points and six boards per game while Troy Ticknor, a 6-1 guard, averages nine points per game and has 10 three-pointers this season.

Buena Vista averages 77 points per game and is shooting 51% from the field.

Red Raider Notes... Northwestern brings a 9-4 record into Saturday's game against Buena Vista. The Raiders are in second place with a 5-1 conference record, trailing sixth-ranked USF (6-0). Coach Korver's squad had its nine-game win streak snapped last time out as they lost 117-111 in quadruple overtime to Concordia last Saturday in Seward, Neb. Northwestern shot 40% for the game, 26% from beyond the arc and were led in scoring by Daniel Van Kalsbeek who netted a career-high 33 points and pulled down nine boards. Both Brent Dunkelberger and Ben Miller recorded their first career double-doubles for the Raiders. Dunkelberger scored a season high 19 points and pulled down a career-best 10 boards while Miller scored 19 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. Walker Seim and Ryan Stock added 11 and 10 points, respectively. Northwestern outrebounded Concordia, 65-55.

The Raiders continue to receive votes in the NAIA D-II coaches' poll, joining four other league teams in the national rating: USF (6), Briar Cliff (10), Dakota Wesleyan (14) and Hastings (RV).

NWC is one of the highest scoring teams in the nation, scoring 88 points per game. They also are among the nation's best in field goal percentage (47%) and three-point percentage (41%). The Raiders are outrebounding their opponents by a +8 margin.

Northwestern boasts two of the top scorers in the nation in freshman Daniel Van Kalsbeek and sophomore Walker Seim. A 6-5 post player, Van Kalsbeek ranks 10th in the NAIA averaging 20.2 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. He is shooting 56% from the field and leads the team with 14 blocked shots. One of the top perimeter shooters in the NAIA, Seim ranks second in the NAIA with 51 three-pointers, shooting 52% from beyond the arc. The 6-2 guard averages 19.2 points per game, ranking 14th in the NAIA. Both Van Kalsbeek and Seim have scored 10 or more points in every game this season. Freshman forward Ben Miller averages 13.5 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. Brent Dunkelberger comes off the bench to score 7.4 points per game while junior guard Ryan Hoogeveen puts in seven points per game. Freshman point guard Mike Vorwald ranks seventh in the NAIA with 70 assists and scores 3.5 points per game.

Up Next... Coach Korver's squad will head to Denver, Colo. to take on Johnson & Wales on Dec. 29 at 7:00 pm.