MARYVILLE, Missouri – The No. 1-ranked Northwest Missouri State University men’s basketball team completed its regular season at 21-1 following an 87-62 victory over the visiting Fort Hays State University Tigers in Bearcat Arena.
Northwest improved its win streak to 16 in a row – the longest active NCAA Division II winning streak.
Senior Ryan Hawkins posted game-high scoring honors with 24 points. Junior Diego Bernard narrowly missed a double-double with 10 points, nine assists, five rebounds and two steals. Sophomore Luke Waters continued his torrid shooting by going 7-of-10 from the field for 16 points.
The Bearcats shot 64.0% from the floor and 55.6% from three-point land in the victory. Fort Hays State shot 47.8% from the field and 23.1% from deep.
Northwest took a 7-0 lead to begin the game and never trailed. Northwest led 45-30 at the break. Northwest is 18-0 when leading at the break this season.
The Bearcats led by as many as 30 points in the second half at 80-50.
Northwest will be the No. 1 seed for the 2021 MIAA Tournament set to begin Wednesday on campus sites. Northwest will play in Bearcat Arena against the No. 8 seed Emporia State.
NOTES: Northwest’s 21 wins are the most MIAA victories in a single-season … since the start of the 2011-12 season, Northwest is 135-10 at home, including a tally of 90-8 in MIAA games … Northwest has won 64 of its last 66 home MIAA contests … Northwest is 90-2 over the past three seasons … Northwest is 120-9 in its last 129 MIAA games … it’s the fourth time this season that Northwest has shot 60% or better in a game … Hawkins scored 24 points in 20 minutes of action … Wes Dreamer, Ryan Hawkins and Trevor Hudgins each knocked in four three-pointers … Diego Bernard tied a career-high with nine assists … Hawkins collected five rebounds to give him 865 career rebounds – only nine shy of Don Sears all-time program record of 874 rebounds from 1966-1970 … under head coach Ben McCollum the Bearcats are 113-2 in games decided by 20 or more points … Northwest has won 111 consecutive games when the final scoring margin is 20 or more.
