MARYVILLE, Missouri – The No. 5-ranked Washburn University Ichabods posted an 84-82 overtime victory over the No. 1-ranked Northwest Missouri State University men’s basketball team at Bearcat Arena on Thursday.
The Washburn victory snapped Northwest’s 28-game win streak, 35-game home-court win streak and 25-game MIAA win streak. It was Washburn’s first against Northwest in the last 12 matchups between the two teams.
Washburn’s Tyler Geiman led all scorers with 26 points and Northwest’s Wes Dreamer was the top Bearcat scorer with 24 points.
Northwest faced a four-point deficit with 7.4 seconds left in regulation to even find a way to get the contest into overtime. Diego Bernard drove the length of the floor and drew a foul as he sank a layup with 2.4 seconds left to cut the lead to two, 73-71. Bernard intentionally missed the free throw but it did not hit the rim and possession was awarded to Washburn. Northwest fouled Geiman before the Ichabods could get the ball in play to send him to the line. Geiman made the first but missed the second. Bernard scooped up the rebound and threw an outlet pass to Trevor Hudgins. Hudgins took the ball just passed halfcourt and heaved a three-pointer, but was fouled by Washburn’s Drew Maschoff with :00.1 left. Hudgins calmly sank three free throws to force overtime at 74-74.
The Bearcats took a five-point lead in overtime at 82-77 following a three-pointer by Bernard and two more free throws from Hudgins. But the Ichabods would not go away and Geiman scored on a conventional three-point play with just over two minutes remaining in the extra period. Washburn’s Rathen Carter scored two of his 12 points with 1:40 to go to knot the game against 82-82.
Northwest committed a shot clock violation giving the ball back to Washburn. Geiman missed a three-pointer but Carter was fouled on the rebound and went to the line for two. He sank both to give the Ichabods an 84-82 lead. Northwest’s Byron Alexander had his shot blocked by Washburn’s Jonny Clausing and the Ichabods corralled the miss. Washburn’s Jalen Lewis had the ball stolen by Bernard, who drove the floor and had his layup swatted by Clausing again. The blocked shot went out of bounds with 8.6 seconds left.
Northwest inbounded and Hudgins had a three-point look at the buzzer that missed, giving Washburn the 84-82 victory in overtime.
Northwest will return to the Bearcat Arena floor Saturday at 2 p.m. against the Emporia State University Hornets.
NOTES: Washburn shot 57.1% from the field, while Northwest shot 42.1% … Washburn went 13-of-20 at the free throw line … Northwest made 22-of-34 at the free throw line … Bernard captured his sixth career double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds … Dreamer buried a team-best six three-pointers … Hudgins scored 15 points and handed out seven assists while committing only one turnover in 45 minutes of action … Luke Waters tallied 14 points and five rebounds … Ryan Hawkins was limited to eight points and played only 25:19 before fouling out in regulation … it’s only the fourth time in the last two seasons that Hawkins has failed to reach double-figure scoring.
