Nebraska Wesleyan at Northwestern

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Game Time... The Red Raider men's basketball team resumes its 2009-10 season as they play host to Nebraska Wesleyan on Saturday, Jan. 9. Tip-off for the men's contest is scheduled for 4:00 pm. Northwestern has lost two straight games and comes in with a 10-6 record. They are in second place in the GPAC conference with a 5-1 record. Nebraska Wesleyan is in eighth place in the GPAC with a 2-2 record and is 4-7 overall. Watch/listen to the games live on the NWC website at the following link: Watch/Listen Now!

All-Time Records...Nebraska Wesleyan leads the all-time series 12-16, although Northwestern has had the upper hand of late, winning eight of the last 10 games. The Red Raiders have not lost to NWU since the 2000-01 season, 78-66.

Scouting Nebraska Wesleyan...The Prairie Wolves come into Saturday's match-up with a 2-2 league mark, 4-7 overall. NWU began the season with three straight losses which included a 66-62 setback to Hasting in the GPAC opener. They have wins over Colorado College, Dana, Doane and Presentation (64-56). In the win over Presentation on Dec. 30, NWU opened up a nine-point halftime lead (29-20) and managed to hold on in the second half. The Prairie Wolves were led by Andy Schweitzer and Nick Dinan who both scored 12 points.

Cam Schuknecht is in his fifth season as the head coach of the Prairie Wolves and returns eight players and two starters off last year's team that finished with a 10-15 overall record, 6-12 in the GPAC. NWU ranks first in the GPAC in scoring defense, giving up just 63.5 points per game. Opponents are shooting 41% from the field against the Wolves. NWU is putting in 60 points per game, shooting 37% from the field.

Seniors Ryan Thramer and Jake Spurgeon return to the NWU starting line-up and average 9.7 and 7.0 points per game, respectively. Both players are the top perimeter threats with Thramer shooting 32% from beyond the arc (10/31) and Spurgeon (12/42) shooting 29% from the three-point line. Nick Dinan, a 6-0 sophomore guard, joins them in the backcourt and averages 9.3 points per game with 22 assists. Jim Lance and Bryce Arp man the front court for the Wolves and combine for 15 points and nine boards per game. Andy Schweitzer (6.1) is the top scorer off the NWU bench and has made nine three-pointers (35%).

Red Raider Notes...Northwestern lost to Briar Cliff last Saturday (84-79) for its second straight loss and fell to 10-6 overall. Briar Cliff scored the first nine points of the game and never trailed. An 11-4 Northwestern run tied the game at 20 but the Chargers pulled ahead again and led 48-40 at the half. BCU opened up a 10-point lead early in the second half until the Raiders came back to tie the game at 66 following a jumper by Ryan Hoogeveen. Five consecutive points by the Chargers followed and Northwestern was never able to tie or take the lead over the final six minutes. Northwestern shot 41% for the game, 24% from beyond the arc. Ryan Hoogeveen scored a career-high 18 points while Ben Miller added 18 points and a team-high nine rebounds. Daniel Van Kalsbeek (15) and Walker Seim (12) were also in double figures. The Raiders outrebounded BCU, 51-32.

The Raiders hold a 5-1 GPAC record and are in second place behind USF in the conference standings. They lead the GPAC in scoring (87.2), three-point percentage (39%) and are second in total field goal percentage (47%). They are third in rebounding (+5.4).

Coach Korver is in his 10th season and is the all-time winningest coach in the program's history with 248 wins. He holds a 79% winning percentage and has guided NWC to eight national tournaments during his tenure.

Walker Seim ranks third in the GPAC averaging 19.3ppg. The sophomore sharp-shooter ranks second in the NAIA with 61 three-pointers, shooting 48% from beyond the arc. Daniel Van Kalsbeek is averaging nearly 19ppg and over seven boards per game in his first season with the Raiders. Another freshman, Ben Miller, averages 13 points and over six rebounds per game. Ryan Hoogeveen (8.4), Ryan Stock (7.6) and Brent Dunkelberger (7.6) are the other top scorers. Stock ranks among the GPAC's best in three-point percentage (51%). Mike Vorwald runs the point and ranks 10th in the NAIA with 90 assists.

Up Next... Northwestern begins a three-game road swing next Wednesday, Jan. 13 as they take on the U. of Sioux Falls at 8:00 pm. The Raiders will play their make-up game against Dakota Wesleyan in Mitchell, S.D. on Friday, Jan. 15 followed by another road game against 15th-ranked Briar Cliff on Jan. 20.