Colton Kooima poured in a school record 51 points in leading 11th-ranked Northwestern to a 111-103 win over (RV) Concordia in a GPAC match-up between ranked teams played tonight at the Bultman Center. The Red Raiders have won three straight and improved to 4-2 in GPAC play, 12-2 overall. 

Kooima's 51 points breaks the old record of 49 set by Alan Visser against Briar Cliff in 1990 and is the fourth 40+-point game of his career and second of the season. Kooima made 16-of-29 field goals, drained a career-high seven three-pointers and converted 12-of-13 free throw attempts on his way to a record-setting night. 

Trailing by three at halftime (57-54), Northwestern outscored Concordia 20-8 in the opening five minutes of the second half to surge ahead 74-65  after back-to-back three-pointers by Kooima. A jumper by Derek Buysse moments later pushed the Red Raider lead to 11 but Concordia came back with a 10-2 run, finished off with a three-point play by Brevin Sloup, put the visitors within three, 82-79, with 9:31 left. 

Northwestern put the game away with a decisive 12-2 spurt, beginning with consecutive three's by Buysse and ending with a floater by Kooima to put the hosts in front 96-83. Korver's squad would surge ahead by as many as 17 over the final minutes.

The Red Raiders shot 50% from the field, 41% (12/29) from beyond the arc and 27/29 (93%) from the charity stripe. Buysse scored 24 and pulled down seven rebounds while Nathan Wedel added 15 points to got with a game-high eight rebounds. Northwestern used a big advantage (40-30) on the glass, pulling down 15 offensive boards. 

Tanner Shuck was among five Concordia players to score in double figures with 22, followed by Kyle Pierce with 20 points and seven boards. The Bulldogs shot 55% from the field, 52% (15/29) from the three-point line.

Both teams went on substantial scoring runs in a back-and-forth opening 20 minutes that resulted in a three-point (57-54) Concordia lead. Following a jumper by Wedel to put NW on top 37-35, Concordia opened up its largest lead of the game, 49-41, after a three-pointer by Zach Friel, his third of the first half. 

Northwestern will head to Southern California to play Vanguard and Bethesda next week.