Orange City, Iowa — Northwestern College has released its men’s basketball schedule for the upcoming 2020-21 season.
The Red Raiders will play 30 games next season; 10 non-conference match-ups and a 20-game GPAC schedule. 11 games will be against teams that finished the 2019-20 season either ranked or receiving votes; Mayville State, Bellevue (2), Concordia (2), Dordt (2), Morningside (2) and Dakota Wesleyan (2).
Northwestern will open its season with back-to-back home contests against Mayville State and Valley City State on Oct. 30-31. Following a road date vs Dakota State, Head Coach Kris Korver’s squad returns home again to play Viterbo and Bellevue for their annual Pizza Ranch Classic on Nov. 6-7. Another home game awaits the Red Raiders, taking on Dakota State once again, before GPAC play begins.
Four GPAC games, one home and three away, will be played before the Red Raiders head to Sioux Center for the Thanksgiving Classic. Northwestern will play four more conference games prior to Christmas and will host another classic on Dec. 18-19 to conclude the schedule before the new year.
Northwestern will play 12 games after the new year, all within the GPAC, seven home and five away, ending with a showdown against Morningside, the defending conference champion on Feb. 20 in Orange City. Postseason conference tournament begins on Feb. 24 with the NAIA Opening Round on March 12-13. The 2021 NAIA Basketball Championship, now a 16-team tournament, will start on March 18 in Kansas City.
Red Raider 2020-21 opponents have a 55% win percentage (510-413); Northwestern finished the 2019-20 season with a 20-12 record, losing to No.1 College of Idaho in the first round of the final NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball National Championship. The NAIA will go to one division for basketball next season.
