11th-ranked Northwestern College opens NAIA D-II Women’s Basketball National Championship play this week against 22nd-ranked Friends (Kan.) at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa. Tip-off for the first round match-up on Thursday, March 8, is scheduled for 8:30am.
Northwestern, ranked 11th in the final poll, comes into the championship as a No.3 seed with a 22-8 overall record. Friends, a No. 6 seed, is 24-8 on the season.
This will be the second ever match-up between the two teams with Northwestern earning a 94-61 win over the Falcons last year during Christmas break.
Northwestern is making its 15th appearance at the NAIA D-II Women’s Basketball National Championship, tied with Indiana Wesleyan and Morningside for fifth most among this year’s 32-team field. This marks the Red Raiders second consecutive appearance, losing to Southeastern (Fla.) in the second round after upsetting Southern Oregon in the first game last season. Northwestern has won the most championships (5) and is the active wins leader, boasting a 45-9 overall record. The Red Raiders won the championship in 2001, 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2012.
Friends is making its third straight and 10th overall championship appearance, owning a 1-8 all-time record. The Falcons defeated Hastings in the first round before bowing out to Saint Xavier in the round of 16 last year.
