Game Time...The second ranked Red Raiders take on the Dordt College Defenders in a GPAC women's basketball contest Wednesday night, Jan. 30. Tipoff for the women's game is at 6:00 pm.
Scouting Report... The Defenders enter the contest with a 7-12 overall record, 3-8 in the GPAC. Since the new year, Dordt is 3-5 with wins over York, Nebraska Wesleyan, York and Midland Lutheran and losses against Buena Vista, Mount Marty, Dakota Wesleyan, USF and Morningside.
First year Head Coach Craig Steinsma's squad is averaging 62 points per game and is shooting 37% from the floor. Defensively, the Defenders are fourth in the league, giving up 66 points per game. They are third in field goal percentage defense (38%), are fourth in rebounding (+5) and lead the GPAC in blocked shots (118).
Three players average in double figures for the Defenders, led by Kate Du Mez who is averaging 11.3ppg. An honorable mention all-league player in 2006-07, Du Mez leads the team with 78 assists and ranks fourth in the league with 52 steals. Amber Soodsma, a 5-11 freshman forward, averages 11ppg and 5.8 rpg. She leads the team with 11 three pointers this season. Junior forward Kelsie De Nooy averages 10 points per game and shoots a team-best 43% from the floor. McKinzie Schmidt and Kara Karlsgodt round out the starting line-up for the Defenders. Schmidt, a 6-0 junior, pulls down a league best 9.1 rebounds per game and averages 9.5ppg. Karlsgodt, a 5-10 senior forward who earned all-league honors in 2006-07, averages 7.3ppg and has pulled down a league-high 66 offensive rebounds. Freshmen Bre Schneidermann and Noelle Kreykes are the top reserves for Coach Steinsma's squad. Schneidermann, a 6-1 center, ranks second in the GPAC with 58 blocked shots. Kreykes, a 5-7 guard, averages 4.6ppg.
Last Time Out... Dordt snapped a three-game losing streak last Saturday as they defeated Midland Lutheran, 58-45. The Defenders shot 33% from the floor but out-rebounded the host Warriors 56-31, including a remarkable 23 offensive rebounds. Kelsie DeNooy scored a game-high 24 points while both McKinzie Schmidt and Kate Du Mez ripped down 11 rebounds apiece. Du Mez also dished out eight assists.
The Red Raiders won their eighth straight game as they recorded a 85-57 road win over Dana College last Saturday afternoon. Northwestern trailed early on, 7-0, before a 14-4 run, capped off by a Debbie Remmerde three pointer, put the Red Raiders up for good with 11:37 left to play in the first half. Coach Woudstra's squad cruised in the second half as they shot 63% from the field and outscored the Vikings 47-35. Debbie Remmerde led three NWC players in double figures with 33 points. Amy Larson and Randa Hulstein added 13 and 10 points, respectively.
Red Raider Notes... Northwestern comes in ranked second in the NAIA with a 20-1 overall record, 10-0 in the GPAC. They have won eight straight games and are one of five league teams ranked in the top 25 in last week's poll.
Head Coach Earl Woudstra is in his 14th season at the helm of the Red Raider women's basketball team. During his tenure, Coach Woudstra has accumulated 296 wins, the most in NWC women's basketball history and just 123 losses for a win percentage of .706.
Northwestern leads the league averaging 90 points per game and in both field goal (52%) and three point percentage (43%). Defensively, the Red Raiders give up 69 points per game, rank second in rebounding (+7) and are first in opponent field goal percentage (38%).
Individually, the Red Raiders are led by five seniors, Debbie Remmerde, Amy Larson, Crystal Algood, Miranda Boekhout and Mandy Carr. Remmerde, the all-time leading scorer in NAIA D-II, leads the nation in scoring (29.2), three point (51%) and free throw percentage (97%). The three-time All-American has made 70 three pointers this season, fourth best in the nation, and has 413 in her career. Amy Larson ranks fourth in the GPAC with 17.5ppg. Larson, a two-time honorable mention all-GPAC pick, is second in the league with 67 three pointers and seventh in three point percentage (44%). She has 228 three pointers in her career, second best all-time. Algood averages nine points per game, ranks third in the GPAC shooting 60% from the field, seventh in rebounding (7.4rpg) and leads the GPAC in blocked shots (63). She is the all-time leading shot blocker (299) in NWC women's basketball history. Boekhout, a two-time honorable mention all-GPAC pick, averages 6.5 points, five rebounds and ranks second in the league with 117 assists. She is the school's all-time leader in assists with 541 and ranks third in blocks (197). Carr, also a two-time honorable mention all-GPAC pick, averages 5.7 points and 4.4 rebound per game. Carr ranks third in the league with 98 assists and is second all-time in school history with steals (215) and third in assists (468). Off the bench, Randa Hulstein averages 9.5 points and is shooting a league best 70% from the field. Freshmen Becca Hurley and Morgan Achterhoff provide the depth in the back-court and combine for 12.3 points 6.1 rebounds per game.
Last Meeting... The Red Raiders defeated Dordt back on Nov. 20 by the score of 106-62. With the score tied at 13, NWC went on a 12-0 run and outscored the Defenders 42-19 to close the first half to lead 55-32 at halftime. Five players scored in double figures led by Debbie Remmerde with 33 points. Amy Larson netted 18 as both she and Remmerde made four three pointers each. Becca Hurley added 13 points while Crystal Algood and Miranda Boekhout added 12.
Next up... The Red Raiders will host Nebraska Wesleyan this Saturday, Feb. 2, at 2:00 pm.
2007-08 media guide
