Omaha, Nebraska — The Northwestern College women’s basketball team is set to play in the NAIA Championship Opening Round, presented by Ballogy, this weekend in Omaha, Neb.
Northwestern is the No.3 seed in the three-team, Omaha Bracket A and will face No.2 seed College of the Ozarks (Mo.) on Friday, March 12 at 11am at the D.J. Sokol Arena. The winner of Friday’s mid-day match-up will play top seed and eighth-ranked Clarke on Saturday at 11am.
Northwestern is 4-2 all-time against College of the Ozarks, last playing against the Bobcats in the quarterfinals of the 2019 NAIA D-II Championship. All six previous match-ups against Ozarks have been at the national tournament, including twic in the title game (2008 and 2012).
This is the Raiders 17th appearance at the NAIA Championship and first in a consolidated division. Northwestern holds a 51-11 record and has won five national titles (2001, 2008, 2010-12); they have been to the national tournament seven times under head coach Chris Yaw (since 2012).
College of the Ozarks is making its 27th appearance and holds a 44-25 record at the championship. This is their 20th consecutive trip to the national tournament; the Bobcats have been the runner-up five times (2006-08, 2012 and 2014).
Northwestern earned one of the 11 at-large bids into the tournament and is one of three teams from the GPAC in the 48-team field (Morningside, Concordia).
College of the Ozarks qualified by way of winning the Association of Independent Institution postseason tournament and is one of two teams from the AII in the field (Crowley’s Ridge).
