SIOUX CITY, Iowa -- No. 1-seed Indiana Wesleyan University and No. 2-seed Northwestern (Iowa) College will meet in the NAIA Division II Women's Basketball National Championship Quarterfinals for the second consecutive year.

Indiana Wesleyan, the No. 1-ranked team in the nation, will look to reverse its fortune versus Northwestern this year after the Red Raiders earned a 79-58 victory a season ago. Northwestern would continue to win that week en route to its second straight national championship and fourth overall.

The two heavy weight programs have combined for five national titles, including four of the last five. The teams have combined for a 54-14 record at the national tournament. Indiana Wesleyan has advanced to the quarterfinal round four times in six years while Northwestern has reached Saturday five straight seasons.

Indiana Wesleyan has reached this stage with a 65-44 victory over Menlo (Calif.) College and a 67-38 thumping of Friends (Kan.) University. Northwestern beat IU-Southeast 76-56 and then defeated Jamestown (N.D.) College 80-68.


Media Coverage
WBAT 1400AM
DakStats Live Stats
Wildcat Central
 

Northwestern University Quick Facts
Location: Orange City, Iowa
Mascot: Red Raiders
Colors: Red and White
Enrollment: 1,234

2011-12 Record: 25-7
2011-12 Conference Record: 16-4
Conference: Great Plains Athletic Conference
NAIA Bid: At-Large Selection
NAIA Tournament Appearances: 11 (1999-2002, 2006-2012)
NAIA Tournament Record: 36-6
 

Projected Starting Lineup:
Alli Dunkelberger             G    5-9   So.           6.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists
Kami Kuhlmann               G    5-7   Sr.           17.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2.0 steals, .439 FG%
Val Kleinjan                       G    5-8   Sr.            7.8 points, 1.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 56 3FG
Kendra DeJong                F    6-0   Sr.            19.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, .579 FG%
Mel Babcock                      F    6-0   Jr.             3.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, .606 FG%
 

Coach Brooks Scouting Report
Northwestern is a really athletic team. They are a team that runs some really nice sets in half court, lots of back screens. Defensively they will play man and they are aggressive in their man. They also play some 3-2 zone which will be similar when we saw against Friends. They play some 2-2-1 half court trap. Probably the thing they want to do the most is get out and run, whether it's a make or miss or turnover, they are looking to get the ball and go. They have some guards that can get it and go.

They have four starters back from a year ago that won the national championship. The best player in that group is Kendra DeJong. She is a 6-0 kid who runs the floor extremely well and can handle the ball. She does a nice job of reading defenses and slipping when she needs to slip. Kami Kuhlmann had a great game today. She can pull up and hit the short 15 foot shot but she can also make the 3. She is just a heady player, hard nose kid who wants to win.

They have been here and done it. They're experienced and it's going to be a real challenge.
 

Team Stats
Points For/Against: 77.4/64.0
Rebounds For/Against: 39.7/32.6
Field Goal: 47.7-percent
3-Point Field Goal: 33.6-percent
Free Throw: 68.4-percent
 

NAIA Division II Top-20 Team Rankings
No. 1 in Field Goal Percentage (.478)
No. 3 in Total Assists (566)
No. 3 in Assists per Game (18.258)
No. 6 in Total Rebound Defense (32.452)
No. 7 in Scoring Offense per Game (77.387)
No. 9 in 3-Pt FG Pct (.337)
No. 10 in Scoring Margin (13.613)
No. 10 in Total Rebound Margin (7.710)
No. 12 in Assist/Turnover Ratio (0.945)
No. 14 in Total Scoring Offense (2,399)
No. 17 in Defensive Rebounds per Game (28.677)