Third-ranked Northwestern cruised to a 94-75 win over eighth-ranked Briar Cliff in the semifinals of the GPAC postseason women's basketball tournament. With the win, the Red Raiders improve to 26-4 overall and will play top-seeded Hastings (Neb.) on Tuesday night, March 2 at 7:00pm in Hastings, Neb. They also have secured the second automatic berth to the NAIA national tournament from the GPAC by reaching the championship game. Hastings, the GPAC regular season champion, earned the other automatic bid.
Northwestern started fast, getting out to a 10-4 and later a 22-12 lead after a Val Kleinjan three-pointer. The Red Raiders extended their lead to 31-14 after a 10-2 run capped by another Kleinjan three-pointer and a pair of Becca Hurley free throws. They held their largest lead (22) just before the half.
The Raiders built the lead up to as much 30 with eight minutes to go before Coach Woudstra cleared his bench for the final four minutes.
NWC shot 53% for the game, 38% from beyond the arc. Becca Hurley and Allison Hulst shared team-high honors with 14 points each while both Val Kleinjan and Randa Hulstein netted 13 points. Hulstein registered her second straight and seventh double-double of the season with a game-high 14 rebounds. Five other Northwestern players scored at least six points in the balanced offensive attack. The Raiders also controlled the glass, outrebounding the Chargers 44-29. Hurley dished out a team-high six assists and Hulstein added five. Defensively, NWC held Liz Grider, the nation's leading scorer, to just four points on 2-of-12 from the field.
Megan Salcedo led BCU with 20 points and Kylie Dilla added 15.
Northwestern will play in its fifth straight conference championship game, winning the title game in 2008.
2009-10 Media Guide
2010 Basketball Camp
