Box Score
MANKATO, Minn. - The Northwest Missouri State men's basketball team fell to the University of Central Missouri on Tuesday night, 60-59, in overtime at the Taylor Center in Mankato, Minn. UCM advances to the Elite Eight as the winners of the Central Region championship in the NCAA Division II tournament. Northwest finishes the season at 24-9, the highest win total in head coach Ben McCollum's five year tenure with the Bearcats. UCM improved to 27-5.

Senior DeShaun Cooper led all scorers with 24 points. In three games, Cooper scored 78 points (26.0), and was named to the All-Central Region tournament team. He finishes his career as Northwest's fourth all-time leading scorer with 1,702 points. Senior Tyler Funk provided a spark off the bench, scoring eight points for Northwest.

Northwest shot 32.1 percent for the game (18-for-56) from the field and hit 8-of-24 three pointers (33.3 percent). The Bearcats held a 20-15 advantage in points off the bench and 11-1 edge in points off turnovers.

The game featured 17 lead changes and the score was tied 12 times during the contest. Both defenses held tight in the second half after Northwest held a 26-22 lead at the break. The score was tied at 43-43 with 7:19 left in the second half as both defenses dug in, allowing just three points to each side down the stretch. A pair of free throws from Daylen Robinson put UCM up by one with 3:05 left before Cooper hit a jumper to give Northwest the lead with 1:41 to go, 46-45. UCM's Charles Hammork hit a free throw with 26 seconds to tie the game but missed the second giving the Bearcats a chance with 26 seconds left. But a three pointer from senior Bryston Williams wouldn't fall and the game went to overtime, tied 26-26.

In the overtime, Northwest led just once on a Cooper free throw with 1:57 to go. Down one, Robinson hit a three pointer with 28 seconds left to give UCM a four-point lead, 59-55. Cooper responded by drawing a foul and hitting a pair of free throws. After Robinson missed a pair of free throws, Northwest was unable to hit a three and fouled Robinson with two seconds left, but Robinson was called for a technical after the play. Williams hit the two technical free throws before Robinson went to the line to shoot his foul shots for the Mules. After missing the first free throw, Robinson hit the second, leaving Northwest down by one, 60-59, with two seconds left. Cooper got a look from just inside the half court line but the shot hit the rim and bounced off as the buzzer sounded.