Jimmies fall to Northwestern in GPAC semifinals

ORANGE CITY, Iowa-- An 11-4 run late in the second half by Northwestern College helped turn the tables Saturday as the 23rd-ranked Red Raiders defeated the University of Jamestown men's basketball team 74-69 in the GPAC semifinals.

Jamestown led 61-55 following a three-point play by Marc Kjos (SO/Lake City, MN) with 7:25 remaining, but missed their next six shots and went scoreless over a span of 3:47, allowing Northwestern to get back in the game.

Jay Small put the Red Raiders ahead 65-63 at the 2:42 mark, only to have the Jimmies tie the game on their next possession on a pair of Mason Walters (SO/Jamestown, ND) free throws.

Alex Van Kalsbeek scored the first three points of a 6-0 run that closed out the game for Northwestern.

UJ shot just under 50 percent in the first half, leading by as many as eight. Van Kalsbeek and Craig Sterk scored on back-to-back trips down the floor to cut the Jimmie lead to two with just under a minute before halftime. Kjos sank a three with 40 seconds left to give Jamestown a 37-32 halftime edge.

Van Kalsbeek's free throws gave Northwestern a 49-45 lead with 10:29 in the second half, but three-pointers by Cole Woodford (FR/Redwood Falls, MN) and Jack Talley (SR/Sioux Falls, SD) along with a three-point play by Walters keyed a 9-2 run that swung the lead back in favor of Jamestown.

The Red Raiders shot 60 percent in the second half, while the Jimmies hit on 35 percent. UJ was just 2-for-11 on three-point attempts in the final 20 minutes.

Walters had 28 points and 11 rebounds for Jamestown, with Kjos and Talley also in double figures with 12. Van Kalsbeek finished with a game-high 34 points and Small was also in double figures with 24.

Jamestown (19-8) will hope for an at-large bid to the national tournament. Northwestern (22-5) will advance to the GPAC title game against Mount Marty (S.D.) on Tuesday, with the winner earning the GPAC's second automatic qualifying berth.