EMPORIA, Kan.-Elijah Allen had a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds as Northwest Missouri State defeated Emporia State 84-79. Jake Reinders scored a career-high 15 points and five rebounds, while Girod Adams added 14 points and six assists. Bryston Williams and Edriss Floyd had 11 and 10 points respectively.

After trailing by as many as 16 points in the first half with 8:16 remaining, the Bearcats would go on a 20-7 run to end the first half to cut the halftime deficit to 36-33. The second half of play was a tight, back and forth battle that featured five lead changes and two ties. Allen''s layup with 2:35 remaining in the ballgame put Northwest up 72-70 and they wouldn''t trail again. The Bearcats led by as many as 10 points with 45 seconds remaining and would hold onto the victory by making free-throws down the stretch.

Northwest shot 52 percent from the field and hit seven three-pointers in the victory. The Bearcats also hit 21-of-23 from the charity stripe, while Emporia State shot 44 percent from the floor and hit 16-out of-26 from the free-throw line.

Northwest (9-9, 4-7 MIAA) will travel to Washburn on Wednesday, Jan. 27 to take on the Ichabods in a game at 5:30 p.m., in a double header with the Bearcat women.