Orange City, Iowa — The Northwestern College men’s basketball team will host Briar Cliff in a GPAC Quarterfinal Wednesday night, Feb. 24. Tip-off at the Bultman Center is scheduled for 8pm. Northwestern, the No.2 seed in the eight-team postseason bracket, has won 10 straight games, 12 of its last 13, and is 20-5 this season. Briar Cliff is the No.7 seed and lost five of its last six for a 12-13 overall record.
Earlier This Season…Head Coach Kris Korver’s squad swept Briar Cliff this season, winning 98-90 in Sioux City on Dec. 2 and then earning a 10-point home win, 79-69, on Jan. 20.
Dec. 2 – Northwestern used a late 11-0 run to pull away and defeat the Chargers in the first match-up between the rivals. Trent Hilbrands scored a game-high 28 points and was one of six Raiders to score in double figures. Alex Van Kalsbeek netted 16 and Jay Small scored 15, all from beyond the arc, as Northwestern shot 46% (12/26) from the three-point line.
Northwestern shot exceptionally well (63%) for the game and held a 33-26 advantage on the boards.
Briar Cliff was led by Quinten Vasa with 24 points and Ethan Freidel added 20.
Jan. 20 – Down by four early in the second half, Jay Small knocked down a three-pointer to begin a 12-0 Northwestern run that gave the hosts the lead for good. Hilbrands was the high scorer once again with 23 points, followed by Van Kalsbeek with 16. Quinn Vesey led Briar Cliff with 22 points and Vasa scored 11.
Northwestern shot 53% for the game, 40% (10/25) from the three-point line, and outrebounded BCU by 10 (35-25).
Briar Cliff finished seventh in the GPAC with a 9-11 record, four games in back of No.6 seed Dordt and three games up on the eighth seed, Mount Marty. The Chargers have lost five of their last six games, earning a 71-61 home victory for their lone win during that time. Last time out, they lost a close game at home to Dordt, 86-84.
Svagera is in his fourth season as the head of the Chargers program and spent six years prior as the top assistant at BCU. He returns three starters and 11 players from 2019-20 team that went 7-13 in the GPAC, 16-14 overall. They were picked eighth in the preseason poll.
With its win against Morningside on Saturday, Northwestern secured the No.2 seed improved to 20-5 on the season, its second consecutive 20-win season and 15th overall under Head Coach Kris Korver. They have won 10 straight and 12 of their last 13 games.
