Box Score
MARYVILLE, Mo.-Southwest Minnesota State guard Jordan Miller scored a game-high 21 points and Scott Roehl added 16 to lead the Mustangs to a 72-67 win against Northwest Missouri State in the season opener for both teams Sunday at Bearcat Arena.
The loss ends a string of 30 consecutive home-opening wins for the Bearcats dating back to 1979 and a string of 13 consecutive season openers dating back to 1996. These two teams meet again Nov. 27 in Marshall, Minn.
DeShaun Cooper scored 17 points and handed out six assists to lead Northwest. Elijah Allen added 15 points and a game-high seven rebounds.
Southwest shot 52 percent from the field and finished 18-of-20 from the free-throw line to help overcome 15 turnovers and a three-point halftime deficit. Miller made four free throws in the final minute including two with three seconds left that iced it. Twelve of Millers'' 21 points came in the second half.
Northwest had a chance to tie in the final minute.
Matt Zager missed the front end of a 1-and-1 and Northwest forward Jake Reinders grabbed the board with the Mustangs leading 70-67 with 22 seconds left. Reinders found himself wide open five feet behind the three-point line later in the possession and took the shot with 10 seconds left that bounced off the rim. Miller rebounded and was fouled before sinking the final free throws.
Northwest played relatively error-free in its opener, committing just six turnovers, two of which were offensive fouls. But the Bearcats were 5-for-20 from 3-point range and shot less than 42 percent for the game.
Donald Stewart, a junior-transfer from Vincennes, scored nine points off the bench in his Northwest debut. Freshman Dillon Starzl, one of three Kearney High School recruits, earned his first collegiate start, but picked up two quick fouls and played just two minutes in the first half. He logged nine minutes total and scored two points.
Northwest is next in action Thursday at home against Graceland in a 7 p.m. start. The Bearcats open their season with three home contests before heading to Marshall for the rematch.
