No.9 Northwestern College could not overcome a rough shooting night in losing to 10th-ranked Dakota Wesleyan 81-60 in a key conference match-up played tonight in Mitchell, S.D. 

The Red Raiders slip to 15-4 in the GPAC, 20-7 overall, and move into third place in the GPAC standings, one game in back of DWU. They close the season on the road against Doane on Saturday, Feb. 17. 

Northwestern shot 37% from the field, its third lowest percentage this season, and made 1-of-18 three-point attempts (6%) on the night. Darbi Gustafson led the Red Raiders with 18 points, making 8-of-9 field goal attempts. Renee Maneman scored 14 points and dished out four assists. 

The Red Raiders held their only lead of the game on a basket by Gustafson to start the game. DWU followed by scoring the next nine points and extended its lead to as much as 11, shooting 60% from the field and 67% (4/6) from the arc, in the initial quarter. Gustafson scored the final basket of the quarter to make it an eight-point game (22-14). 

The teams played even for most of the second quarter with DWU taking a 12-point lead following a three-pointer by Kynedi Cheeseman (36-24) with 2:39 left. Northwestern was down 11 (38-27) at intermission and shot 27% in the first half compared to 60% by DWU.

Northwestern opened the second half with a slight surge, getting consecutive baskets by Gustafson and Anna Kiel, to get within eight (45-37). DWU, however, put the game away with a 10-1 run, beginning with a three-pointer by Sarah Carr and ending with a jumper by Amber Bray to put the Tigers in front 55-38 at the 3:27 mark. The Red Raiders would not get closer than 16 points the rest of the way.

Coach Yaw's squad outrebounded DWU, one of top rebounding teams in the NAIA, by a 30-21 margin, claiming 13 on the offensive side. Kassidy De Jong led the Red Raiders with 10 boards and Gustafson pulled down six. Northwestern committed only seven turnovers compared to nine by DWU. 

Bray led the Tigers with 21 points, making 4-of-6 three-pointers, followed closely by Cheeseman (20) and Rylie Osthus (14). Osthus dished out 10 assists for Dakota Wesleyan, who improves to 16-3 in the GPAC, 25-4 overall, heading into a Saturday game against No.2 Concordia. The Tigers ended the game shooting 53% from the field, 50% (12/24) from the arc.