The Northwestern College women's basketball team defeated Morningside 83-79 to win the GPAC Postseason Tournament Championship. With the win, the third-ranked Red Raiders improve to 30-2 overall while Morningside, ranked second, falls to 30-3 and is handed their first loss in 28 games. Both teams will play in the NAIA National Tournament which will be played in Sioux City, Iowa beginning on March 12.
The Red Raiders never trailed against the second-ranked Mustangs as they jumped out to an 11-5 lead. Northwestern extended their lead to 16 (41-25), the largest of the game, when Mandy Carr hit a three pointer with 2:49 left in the first half. They led 45-32 at intermission.
Northwestern matched their largest lead (16) early in the second half on a three point play by Debbie Remmerde. Morningside, however, scored the next 13 points over a four minute span to cut the NWC lead down to three, 48-45. The Red Raiders responded with a 10-2 run to push the lead back to double digits with 12 minutes to play. Northwestern still led by 12, 69-57, before Morningside outscored NWC 13-3 to cut the lead down to two with three minutes to play. The Red Raiders held on in the end, scoring the next six points, five by senior guard Amy Larson, and made enough free throws down the stretch to clinch the tournament championship. It was the first postseason title since the 2000-01 season national championship season.
The Red Raiders shot 53% from the floor, 39% from beyond the arc, while Morningside shot 38% from the field. Debbie Remmerde led three NWC players in double figures with 26 points followed by Amy Larson with 16. Becca Hurley added 11 off the bench. Morningside was led by Autumn Bartel with 26 points while Dani Gass added 21. Northwestern out-rebounded the Mustangs, 39-34, led by Crystal Algood with nine.
Northwestern, now 30-2 overall, will play in the NAIA National Tournament beginning next week. The 32-team filed has been announced by the NAIA and can be viewed by clicking on the following link: Tournament field. The official bracket and seedings will come out later today.
2008 Basketball Camp
