Game Time... The second-ranked Red Raiders will visit Blair, Neb. to take on Dana College on Saturday, Jan. 26 in a GPAC conference women's basketball contest. Tipoff for the contest is set for 2:00 pm.
Scouting Report... Head Coach Brenda Mechels, in her fifth season with the Vikings, returns four starters from a 2006-07 squad that finished with a 14-15 record overall mark, 6-12 and tied for ninth in the GPAC. This season, Dana is 6-15 overall and 2-9 and tied for 11th in the league. The Vikings average 62 points per game and are shooting 41% from the floor. Defensively, Dana is giving up 72 points per game but hold teams to just 26% from beyond the arc, best in the league.
Dana is led by 6-2 junior Amanda Bryant, an honorable mention all-GPAC player in 2006-07. Bryant leads the Vikings averaging 12.3 points per game and has 14 blocks this season. Senior guard Amy Nichol averages 12.2 points per game and ranks ninth in the league at 7.1 boards per game. Nichol, a second team all-league pick last year, leads the GPAC with 67 steals this season. Tricia Trotter, a 5-7 sophomore guard, is the third Dana player averaging in double figures at 10.5 points per game. She leads the team with 21 three pointers and 53 assists. Guards Erin Bazata and Heidi Gowery round out the typical starting lineup for the Vikings. Bazata, a 5-7 junior, averages 6.7 points per game while Gowery, a 5-6 sophomore, averages 3.4 points and has 48 assists. Sophomore forward Jillian Bryant comes off the bench to score seven points per game and is shooting 47% from the floor. Megan Finn (3.0 ppg) and Chelsey Williams (3.6 ppg) are the other top reserves for the Vikings.
Last Time Out... Dana lost to eighth-ranked Concordia, 80-75, in their last game played on Jan. 22. The Vikings jumped out to a 12-1 lead and led by five at the half, 32-27. Concordia, however, took the lead for good early in the second half and despite a late Vikings rally, held on to earn the road win. Dana was led by Amy Nichol, one of four Viking players in double figures, with 17 points. Amanda Bryant added 16 while Erin Bazata and Tricia Trotter added 11 points apiece.
The Red Raiders remained perfect in the month of January and won their seventh straight game with a 85-77 win over Mount Marty Wednesday night in the Bultman Center. The first half featured six ties and 11 lead changes between the two teams. With the scored tied at 26, Mount Marty outscored the Red Raiders 18-11 over the final seven minutes to take a 44-37 halftime lead. The Lancers extended the lead to 11, their largest of the game at 50-39, before NWC battled back to tie the score at 53. With the score tied at 56, Northwestern outscored MMC 17-4 over a five minute stretch to take their biggest lead, 73-60. The Red Raiders then withstood the Lancer comeback bid to win, 85-77. Debbie Remmerde led four players in double figures with 31 points on 11/17 from the field. Amy Larson netted 18 points followed by Randa Hulstein with 13. Miranda Boekhout added 10 points, four rebounds, six assists and three blocks.
Red Raider Notes... Northwestern has won seven straight games to improve to 19-1 overall. The second ranked Red Raiders are a perfect 9-0 in the GPAC and trail Morningside by just one game in the win column. They are one of five teams in this week's NAIA top 25: Morningside (3), Hastings (6), Concordia (8) and Doane (24). Coach Woudstra's squad has defeated seven teams ranked in this week's top 25 poll (Morningside, Hastings, Doane, S.D. Tech, Black Hills State, Dakota State and Cardinal Stritch).
Offensively, the Red Raiders average a league best 90 points per game and are shooting 52% from the floor. Debbie Remmerde and Amy Larson rank among the league leaders in scoring (29, 17.7) and three pointers (67,66). Miranda Boekhout and Mandy Carr rank second and third in the GPAC with 112 and 93 assists, respectively. Crystal Algood and Randa Hulstein anchor the paint for NWC averaging 9.5 and 9.3 points per game. Becca Hurley, Morgan Achterhoff and Jenna Koele are also in Coach Woudstra's regular rotation.
Defensively, NWC gives up 69 points per game and teams are shooting 38% from the floor.
GPAC Standings and Weekend Schedule...
| Morningside | 10-0 | 1.000 | 20-2 | .909 | -- | Won 17 |
| Northwestern | 9-0 | 1.000 | 19-1 | .950 | 0.5 | Won 7 |
| Concordia | 9-2 | .818 | 18-2 | .900 | 1.5 | Won 4 |
| Hastings | 7-3 | .700 | 18-4 | .818 | 3.0 | Won 1 |
| Doane | 7-3 | .700 | 14-8 | .636 | 3.0 | Lost 1 |
| Dakota Wesleyan | 7-4 | .636 | 13-10 | .565 | 3.5 | Won 3 |
| Briar Cliff | 4-7 | .364 | 10-13 | .435 | 6.5 | Lost 4 |
| Mount Marty | 2-7 | .222 | 8-10 | .444 | 7.5 | Lost 2 |
| Nebraska Wesleyan | 2-7 | .222 | 5-11 | .313 | 7.5 | Won 1 |
| Sioux Falls | 2-7 | .222 | 6-14 | .300 | 7.5 | Won 1 |
| Dordt | 2-8 | .200 | 7-12 | .368 | 8.0 | Lost 3 |
| Dana | 2-8 | .200 | 7-15 | .318 | 8.0 | Lost 1 |
| Midland Lutheran | 2-9 | .182 | 7-14 | .333 | 8.5 | Lost 9 |
Concordia @ Concordia (Ill.)
Dordt @ Midland Lutheran
Nebraska Wesleyan @ Morningside
Dakota Wesleyan @ Mount Marty
USF @ Doane
Hastings @ Briar Cliff
Next up... Northwestern will host rival Dordt College on Wednesday, Jan. 30, with tipoff at 6:00 pm.
2007-08 media guide
