Seward, Nebraska — A trip to the 2021 GPAC Women’s Basketball Title game is at stake this weekend when No.3 seed Northwestern makes the trip to Seward, Neb. to play No.2 Concordia in a conference semifinal. Tip-off at Friedrich Arena is set for 3pm.
Both teams are recognized in the latest NAIA Coaches’ poll released earlier this week and are playing some of their best basketball of the season. Northwestern is receiving votes and has won 12 of its last 13 games for a 17-9 overall record. Concordia has won seven straight games and moved up to No.17 in the latest poll; they are 19-7 overall.
This will be the third match-up played this season and 69th overall in the rivalry between the teams. Concordia won both regular season games, earning an 83-72 home win way back on Nov. 14, and then defeated the Raiders 81-76 in the first game of 2021 (Jan.2).
Earlier this year, Concordia held a 45-26 halftime lead before a late Northwestern comeback closed the gap to five, 72-67, with four minutes left. Emilee Danner led all players with a career-high 32 points and seven three-pointers. Taylor Cockerill tallied 25 points to pace Concordia. The Bulldogs shot better (43% – 38%), had a big advantage in scoring from the free throw line (17-6) and forced 23 Raider turnovers. Northwestern had the edge in rebounding, 51-35.
In game two of the season series, a 9-0 run put Northwestern in front 73-72 with two minutes left but Concordia scored the next eight points and closed with a 9-3 run to get an 81-76 victory at the Bultman Center. Taylor VanderVelde scored a career-high 18 points and pulled down nine rebounds to lead Northwestern. Concordia was led by Taysha Rushton with 28 points, including six three-pointers. Northwestern held the advantage in overall shooting percentage (44% – 40%); Concordia shot better from beyond the arc (40% – 30%) and rebounding was even, 41-41.
