Northwestern at Dordt

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Game Time... Northwestern will go for its second straight win this weekend as they take on the Dordt Defenders in a key GPAC men's basketball contest. Tipoff for the men's game is scheduled for 4:00pm in Sioux Center. The Red Raiders are in sixth place in the GPAC with a 6-5 record, 11-10 overall while the host Defenders have won four straight games and are 5-7 in the GPAC, 13-8 overall. Listen to the game via the NWC webcast at the following link: Listen Now!

All-Time Series... The Red Raiders lead the all-time series, dating back to 1960, 68-21. The two teams split the season series in four of the past five years. Northwestern won the first game between the two rivals, 97-77, earlier this year (Dec. 2) in Orange City.

Last Match-Up... The Raiders scored 63 second half points to knock off then fourth-ranked Dordt 97-77 on Dec. 2. The scored was tied, 34-34, at the half and the teams traded baskets during the opening minutes of the second half. With Northwestern leading 50-45, Dordt began a 9-0 run to take its largest lead of the night, 54-50, with 14:30 left to play. Northwestern answered right back with a 9-0 run of its own and held a slim 61-59 lead with 11 minutes left to play. The Raiders outscored Dordt 13-3 to push the lead to double digits (70-60), capped off by a lay-up by Ryan Hoogeveen. Northwestern's perimeter game took over from there as Hoogeveen, Walker Seim and Ryan Stock all nailed three-pointers and the Raiders limited Dordt to just 14 points over the final nine minutes to earn the win.

Northwestern shot 47% for the game but 58% in the second half. They made 9-13 three-pointers in the second half (69%). For the third straight game, Walker Seim led the way with 28 points on 10-for-14 from the field. Ben Miller put in 17 points and pulled down nine rebounds while Hoogeveen recorded his first career double-double with a career-high 17 points and 11 rebounds to go with four assists. Daniel Van Kalsbeek netted 11 points and Mike Vorwald scored a career-high 10. Northwestern outrebounded Dordt, 49-40.

Dordt was led by Michael Eekhoff with 20 points, followed by Trevor Wolterstorff with 15.

Dordt News and Notes... The Defenders opened the season with an impressive 7-1 record and were ranked as high as fourth in the Nov. 30 poll. Dordt then lost four straight games, all within the GPAC, and then after two non-conference wins over Christmas break, lost three more in a row to start the year. Since then, however, the streaking Defenders have won four straight with wins over Hastings, Mount Marty, Dana and Sioux Falls. Coach Ross Douma's squad is 13-8 overall, 5-7 and in seventh place in the GPAC heading into Saturday's match-up.

Last time out, Dordt knocked off a ranked USF squad, 83-76 OT, in Sioux Center on Jan. 27. The Defenders trailed by eight at the half (42-34) but despite shooting just 31% in the second half, outscored the Cougars by eight to send the game into overtime tied at 71. They outscored USF 12-5 in the extra period to earn their fourth straight win. Dordt went 36-for-49 from the charity stripe and held a slim 41-40 advantage on the glass. Trevor Wolterstorff led three Defender players in double figures with 23, followed by Michal Eekhoff (22) and Logan Kingma (20). Brandon Oldenkamp pulled down a game-high 14 boards.

Dordt ranks fifth in the GPAC in points per game (78) and sixth in field goal percentage (46%). Defensively, the Defenders are giving up nearly 76ppg and opponents are shooting 44% from the field. They average 14.1 turnovers per game.

Leading the way for the Defenders are seniors Logan Kingma and Michael Eekhoff. Both players earned first team all-GPAC honors in 2009 and second team accolades in 2008. Kingma averages 13.6 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, shooting 40% from beyond the arc (37/93). Eekhoff leads the team with 16.3 points per game, shooting better then 50% from the floor. He leads the team with 82 assists, fifth best in the GPAC, and pulls down five boards per game. Junior Brandon Oldenkamp, an honorable mention all-GPAC pick in 2009, comes off the bench to average nine points and a team best 6.2 rebounds per game. A perimeter threat as well, Oldenkamp has 32 three-pointers on the season. Freshman Trevor Wolterstorff ranks second on the team averaging over 15 points per game, shooting 51% from the field. He leads the team with 49 offensive rebounds. Another freshman, Shawn Keizer, averages 8.3 points per game with 31 three-pointers. Since being put in the starting line-up, senior Brett Heidema has averaged 1.5 points and nearly two boards per game. Dustin Katje (4.1), Jordan Vogel (5.6) and Chris Sievers (1.4)  are the other top reserves.

Raider Notes... Northwestern snapped its string of six straight losses with an 88-84 win over Midland Lutheran last Saturday in the Bultman Center. With the score tied at 59 early in the second half, the Red Raiders scored five straight points and took the lead for good, 64-59. They pushed the lead up to 10 later in the half before a late Midland Lutheran charge cut it to one, 85-84, with a minute left to play. Ben Miller converted a 1-and-1 and the Raiders came up with a key defensive stop down the stretch to hold off the Warriors, 88-84.

Northwestern shot 55% for the game, 32% (6/19) from beyond the arc. Daniel Van Kalsbeek went 9-for-13 from the field for 20 points and a team-high eight rebounds. Walker Seim converted 4-of-11 three-pointers and matched Van Kalsbeek for team-high honors. Brent Dunkelberger scored 17 points off the bench while Ben Miller scored all but one of his 17 points in the second half.

The Red Raiders continue to lead the GPAC in scoring, averaging better then 85 points per game. One of the top shooting teams in the league, Coach Korver's squad is shooting 47% from the field and 37% from beyond the arc. They average 7.7 three-pointers per game.

Daniel Van Kalsbeek ranks second in the GPAC in scoring (19.4) and ninth in both rebounding (6.9) and field goal percentage (56%). The freshman has scored in double figures in all but one game and has registered four double-doubles. Walker Seim is third in the GPAC in scoring (19.3) and ranks fourth in the NAIA with 78 three-pointers. The sharp-shooting sophomore is shooting 47% from beyond the arc and needs three more three-pointers to reach 100 for his career. Ben Miller is the third NWC player scoring in double figures (12.1) and ranks 11th in the GPAC in rebounding (6.6). Brent Dunkelberger comes off the bench to score 8.5 points per game while Ryan Hoogeveen averages 8.3 points per game. Ryan Stock (6.7, 23 three-pointers) and Mike Vorwald (3.1, 104 assists) are the other key players.

Up Next... Northwestern returns home to face Mount Marty on Wednesday, Feb. 3 at 8:00pm.