Box Score

ST. JOSEPH, Mo.-Northwest Missouri State forward Elijah Allen tied his career high of 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for his second collegiate double-double, but it was Missouri Western that had the answer Wednesday in an 84-80 win at MWSU Fieldhouse.

The Griffons (10-4, 5-2 MIAA) took a nine-point lead into the break and led by 19 points with five minutes remaining before fighting off the Bearcats (7-6, 2-4 MIAA). Edriss Floyd''s three-pointer with 3.5 seconds left cut the deficit to two, 82-80. Quentin Noblin was fouled with 2.7 seconds left and made both free throws to seal the win.

Missouri Western made one field goal in the final five minutes and was 5-of-11 from the free-throw line in that span prior to Noblin''s final two points. Noblin led Missouri Western with 22 points.

Allen finished 9-of-15 from the floor and center Maciej Ustarbowski was 6-of-8 in his 13-point effort. The rest of the Bearcats combined to shoot 15-of-42, including a 4-of-20 effort from three-point range. Missouri Western knocked down 11 three-pointers to build its lead.

The teams combined for just 20 turnovers, including a season-low eight committed by the Bearcats. The three-point shooting was the difference.

Northwest guard Girod Adams finished with 15 points - his eighth consecutive double-digit effort - and handed out six assists, but was 1-of-8 from behind the arc. The Bearcats had lost seven times this decade when reaching 80 points in a contest, but fell to 4-4 in those games this season.