POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. – The defending national champs from Northwestern College received 23 points and eight rebounds from last year’s tourney MVP, Brandon Woudstra, and posted an 86-69 men’s basketball win over St. Joseph’s in the first round of the NAIA Division II national tournament Thursday.

Brandon Jacobson added 21 points and nine rebounds for No. 4 Northwestern of Orange City, Iowa. Lance Reinke added 10 points and nine assists.

For St. Joseph’s of Standish, Brandon Stewart tossed in 19 points and ripped down 12 rebounds, and Jimmy Ahern netted 12 points. Bilal Dawan-Abdullah added 10 points, while standout forward C.J. Vose was limited to three points and one rebound in 16 minutes of action.

The Red Raiders led by as many as 16 points in the first half and outrebounded St. Joseph’s 42-33 in the game. In all, 18 of the Raiders’ 33 hoops came off assists, while the Monks received fewer easy looks: Only seven of their 26 baskets came off assists.

The Raiders connected on 50.8 percent of their field goal attempts, including 55.6 percent in the first half, while limiting Maine Athletic Conference champion St. Joseph’s to just 40 percent shooting in the game. The Monks struggled in the first half, shooting 34.4 percent.

The NAIA tourney bid was St. Joseph’s fifth.

Northwestern (28-4) 86

Hoegh, Jacobson 7-7-21, Reinke 4-0-10, Ranschau 2-0-6, Woudstra 9-3-23, Harthoorn 3-0-8, De Vrien, Winterfield 3-0-9, Hugen 1-0-3, Wick 0-1-1, Van Die 2-1-5, Leloux

St. Joseph’s (18-10) 69

Vose 1-1-3, McPherson 1-1-3, Dawan-Abdullah 4-0-10, Ahern 6-0-12, Stewart 6-7-19, Willer 1-0-2, Underwood 2-2-6, McCabe, Pratt 1-1-3, Drayer, Brennan, Seaver, Ayres 0-2-2, Monteiro 4-1-9

3-pt. goals: Reinke 2, Ranschau 2, Woudstra 2, Harthoorn 2, Winterfield 3; Dawan-Abdullah 2

Halftime: 39-28

Baseball

St. Mary’s, Anderson beat Husson

At Lake Wales, Fla., St. Mary’s College of Michigan beat Husson in the first game 8-1 and Anderson College of Indiana stopped the Braves of Bangor in the second 9-3.

Tim Reeves singled, doubled and drove in two runs for St. Mary’s while Husson’s Kyle Mathieu singled for his first career collegiate hit.

Kyle Rayl recorded a two-run single for Anderson in the second game. Mike Worcester doubled twice, singled and drove in a run for Husson and Keith Simmons notched a two-run double.

(First Game)

St. Mary’ (1-11) 220 301 0 – 8 13 0

Husson (0-1) 010 000 0 – 1 7 0

Barner, Zunder (6) and Hoffman; Reynolds, Klink (6) and Worcester

(Second Game)

Husson (0-2) 100 002 0 – 3 7 1

Anderson (2-0) 701 001 x – 9 13 0

Simmons and McGlinn; McNicholas and Rayl