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By David Boyce  |  Northwest Missouri at Nebraska-Kearney  |  Thursday, Jan. 18  |  W: 5:30 p.m.; M: 7:30 p.m.  |  Health and Sports Center  |  Kearney, Neb.
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MARYVILLE, Mo. - At some point early in the game Thursday evening at Nebraska-Kearney, Northwest Missouri State senior guard Xavier Kurth will slightly bend forward, stare at the man he is guarding and slap his hands together.
 
The brief clap is reminiscent of the Steve Tappmeyer-era Bearcats when the five players on the court slapped the floor to signal they are ready to increase their intensity on defense.
 
Kurth's intensity helps fuels the Bearcats.
 
"He brings a different level of energy," Northwest coach Ben McCollum said. "Our other guys play hard. I think he plays with energy and helps supply that to the rest of the team. That is very important, especially if you want to be good defensively just because you have that extra juice."
 
As potent as the Bearcats' offense is with seniors Justin Pitts at point guard, the inside muscle of senior forward Brett Dougherty and the inside-outside game of senior Chris-Ebou Ndow, Northwest consistently beats teams with its defense.
 
In bounce-back wins after the first loss of the season, the Bearcats held Pittsburg State to 58 points and topped that the next game by limiting Southwest Baptist to 46 points.
 
Northwest, 15-1 overall and 7-1 in the MIAA, will carry a three-game winning streak into Nebraska-Kearney. The Bearcats are back on track and playing like a top-five team. They are currently ranked second in the NABC top 25.
 
"I think with us, we have a lot of fight and a lot of enthusiasm within the team," Kurth said. "We don't like to lose. When we took that loss, it opened everybody's eyes that we still have room to improve and we can get better. The last three games have proven that. We have gotten better since that loss."
 
Kurth is one reason Northwest has excelled the last three games. His play has sparkled on both ends of the floor.
 
Against Pittsburg State, he noticed the defenders were leaving him open, preferring to focus on Pitts, Dougherty, Ndow and junior Joey Witthus. Kurth made the Gorillas pay, going 4-for-6 from the field.
 
Apparently, video of the game didn't reach Southwest Baptist or the team thought it was a fluke. Kurth went 6-for-7 from the field, including 3-for-3 from behind the three-point arc. He finished with a season-high 18 points.
 
"This summer I worked a lot on my three-point shot," Kurth said. "When I see others playing off me, it is almost like an insult and it makes me mad because I worked so hard on it. I am just going to shoot and see what happens. They have been going in so I kept shooting them."
 
Kurth continued his hot shooting against Central Missouri on Monday, making all three shots he attempted.
 
"Teams are not guarding him," McCollum said. "I don't know if it is fear of the other guys or they don't think he can make the shot. He has made some shots and made them pay for it. It is a strategy I have seen in the past against some of our guys. He is able to knock down a few shots because of it.
 
 "Xavier has gotten better and better. He has figured out his niche and things he can be great at and stuck to those things."
 
Before Kurth arrived at Northwest, his high school coach at St. Joseph Lafayette told him defense was going to be key to his success in college.
 
"I keep that in the back of my head every game," Kurth said. "I take a lot of pride in not letting my man score on me. If he scores on me, I get irritated at myself. To alleviate that is to make sure your man doesn't score. When I am clapping and energetic like I am, it gets the other guys involved, too and gets us amped up. I think it helps our overall game."
 
Kurth enjoys being able to play college basketball close to home. It allows his family to see him on a regular basis.
 
"My mom is my biggest supporter," Kurth said. "For her to come to these games an hour away, it means a lot to me. I am a big family person so to be able to see my family means a lot to me."
 
Family is also fueling Kurth's career goals when he is finished playing for the Bearcats. He is majoring in education. He hopes he is student teaching next fall and then gets a job in Liberty Public Schools. His mother works in Liberty Public Schools.
 
Kurth's ultimate goal is to teach at the high school level and coach basketball.
 
For now, he is relishing his last 2 ½ months playing basketball for the Bearcats. While this is a tough week for Northwest with three games, including two on the road at Nebraska-Kearney and then Saturday at Fort Hays State, it is a fun time for the players.
 
"Basketball is a big piece, but for me, the best part is watching how the team comes together and how close we really are," Kurth said. "Off the court, we have each other's back and it filters onto the court. I think that is part of the reason why we are so successful on the road."
 
Still, it will be a mental and physical grind for the Bearcats. This is the first time Northwest has played at Kearney and Hays since the 2013-14 season.
 
"It will be really difficult," McCollum said. "The two teams we play on the road are excellent. I am curious to see how our kids come out and compete at Kearney.
 
"I just want us to play as hard as we can. That is the main thing you want as a coach. Give them your best shot and hope that is good enough."
 
One thing McCollum is certain about is Kurth will be ready to play defense.
 
"I love defense. If I could play defense all game, I would play defense all game," Kurth said.