Complete Game Notes (PDF)

Thurs., Dec. 6 vs. Lincoln, 7:30 p.m.
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Sat., Dec. 8 vs. Lindenwood, 3:30 p.m.
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OPENING UP MIAA PLAY
The Northwest Missouri State men's basketball team open up MIAA play this Thursday and Saturday in Bearcat Arena.
    Northwest will play host to Lincoln University on Thursday at 7:30 p.m., followed by a Saturday tilt vs. Lindenwood University at 3:30 p.m. Both games will follow the women's contest.

SILENT NIGHT PROMOTION
Thursday will be entitled Christmas in the 'Ville.
    The men's game vs. Lincoln will have a Silent Night promotion. The crowd will be requested to remain silent until Northwest scores its 10th point of the game.
    In addition to the Silent Night for the men's game, Northwest will offer pictures with Santa Bobby, a Toys-4-Tots toy drive and free Kool Kats.

THE OPPOSITION
Northwest holds a 46-30 lead in the all-time series vs. Lincoln. Northwest has won 22 of the last 24 meetings with Lincoln. The Bearcats own a six-game win streak in the series.
    Northwest is 14-1 all-time vs. Lindenwood. The Bearcats have defeated the Lions six straight times entering Saturday's matchup in Bearcat Arena.

GOOD START TO LEAGUE PLAY
Northwest has won its MIAA opener in each of the last seven seasons. Bearcat head coach Ben McCollum is 7-2 in MIAA openers.

MIAA TITLE DEFENSE
Northwest has won five consecutive MIAA regular season titles under 10th-year head coach Ben McCollum. Missouri State under the direction of head coach Bill Thomas is the only other program to have won five straight MIAA regular titles (1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970).
    McCollum has also guided the Bearcats to three straight MIAA tournament championships. Southeast Missouri State also won three consecutive MIAA tournament titles in 1985, 1986 and 1987. No MIAA school has ever won four straight tourney crowns.

TAKING CARE OF THE BALL
Northwest ranks No. 1 in the nation in fewest turnovers (8.1 per game).
    Northwest also ranks No. 3 in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.89).

THE NAME OF THE GAME
The goal in basketball is to outscore the opposition and Northwest is doing that better than anyone in the nation this season. Northwest ranks No. 1 in scoring margin (+23.5).

ALWAYS DEFENSIVE
Northwest ranks No. 1 in the MIAA in scoring defense by giving up only 63.6 points per game.
    The Bearcats rank No. 15 in the nation in scoring defense.

3-BALL WITH ACCURACY
The Bearcats rank No. 4 in the nation in three-point field goal percentage (45.2 percent).
    Northwest ranks No. 6 in the nation with 98 made 3-pointers.

SHOOTING IT WELL
The Bearcats are shooting 51.7 percent from the floor, which ranks as the 11th-best total in the nation.

12 STRAIGHT DECEMBER WINS
Northwest has won its last 12 games in the month of December. Northwest was 5-0 in December in both the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons.
    The Bearcats won their last game in December in the 2015-16 season. Northwest's last loss in the month of December came Dec. 20, 2015, at Lindenwood (L, 68-52).

CENTRAL REGION RANKINGS
Northwest holds down the top spot in the D2SIDA Central Region rankings that were released on Dec. 2. Northwest owns all six first-place votes in the region.

D2SIDA CENTRAL REGION
1.   Northwest Missouri State
2.   Southern Nazarene
3.   Missouri Southern
4.   Sioux Falls
T5. Washburn
      Northern State
7.   St. Cloud State
8.   Minnesota State, Mankato
9.   Pittsburg State
10. Southeastern Oklahoma State
      Minnesota-Duluth
      Central Oklahoma

BEARCATS RANKED NO. 2
Northwest is ranked No. 2 in the nation in both Division II top 25 polls.
    Bellarmine is ranked No. 1 with 16 first-place votes in the NABC poll. Bellarmine is ranked No. 1 with 12 first-place votes in the D2SIDA poll.
    Northwest is receiving four first-place votes in D2SIDA's top 25.

REBOUNDING WARS
Northwest has won the rebounding battle in each of its eight games this season.

vs. Northern State - 46/41 (+5)
vs. Ferris State - 33/22 (+11)
vs. Upper Iowa - 36/29 (+7)
vs. Winona State - 28/26 (+2)
vs. Truman State - 30/29 (+1)
vs. Illinois-Springfield - 42-28 (+14)
vs. Tabor - 39-26 (+13)
vs. Midland (31-26 (+5)

SECOND TIME REACHING CENTURY MARK
Northwest has reached 100 points two times this season - the first time since 2013-14 that Northwest has scored 100 or more points twice in the same season.
    Northwest has scored 100 or more points seven times during head coach Ben McCollum's coaching tenure.

100-Point Games under McCollum
105-55 vs. Mahanattan Christian (11/16/09)
104-67 vs. Graceland (11/28/09)
105-59 vs. Waldord (12/16/13)
104-69 at Southwest Baptist (1/16/14)
103-58 vs. Missouri Valley (12/13/16)
100-86 vs. Ferris State (11/3/18)
100-66 vs. Midland (12/1/18)

HAWK TOPS MIAA IN BOARDS
Sophomore Ryan Hawkins leads the MIAA and ranks No. 8 in the nation in rebounding at 10.6 boards per game.
    Hawkins has secured 85 total rebounds, which ranks as the sixth best total in the nation. He ranks No. 3 in the nation in defensive rebounds per game (8.75).
    The Atlantic, Iowa, native ranks third on the Bearcats in scoring (15.8 ppg). He leads the team in steals (14).
    
WELTY'S THREE-POINT PRECISION
Junior Ryan Welty is the nation's active career leader in three-point field goal percentage. Welty has made 52.4 percent his three-point shots (125-of-235).


NCAA Active Career Leaders - 3-Point FG Pct.
1. Ryan Welty (Northwest Missouri)    .532
2. Adam Bonk (Wisconsin-Parkside)    .491
3. Anthony Lee (Kutztown)        .482
4. Dan Largey (Stonehill)        .476
5. Adam Goetz (Kentucky Wesleyan)    .461

GLAD HE'S WITTHUS
Senior Joey Witthus poured in a career-high 33 points and add five assists with four rebounds in an 85-66 win over Illinois-Springfield.
    It marks Witthus's second career 30-point game as he tallied 30 points for Minnesota State vs. Missouri Southern (Nov. 12, 2016).

WITTHUS IN THE ZONE
Senior Joey Witthus is simply on fire over his last four games. Witthus is averaging 24.5 points per game, while shooting 60.7 percent from the field (34-of-56). Witthus has buried 21-of-34 shots from three-point range (61.8 percent) and is 9-of-11 at the free throw line. He has also dished out 13 assists.
    On the season, Witthus is the MIAA's three-point shooter (27-of-49; 55.1 percent). Witthus ranks No. 5 in the MIAA in scoring (20.3 ppg).

WITTHUS FOR THREE
Joey Witthus has drained 222 career three-pointers to ranks tied for the fifth-best active career leader among Division II players.
    Witthus made 137 three-pointers in his first two collegiate seasons at Minnesota State, Mankato. Witthus has made 85 triples in time at Northwest.

NCAA Active Career Leaders - 3-Pointers
1. Jarrett Brodbeck (Regis)        297
2. Jack Laffey (Adelphi)        270
3. Jason Jolly (Fairmont State)    244
4. Kenny Hairston (Limestone)    227
5. Levi Holmes III (Saint Michael's)    222
    Jonathan Lawson (Fla. Southern)    222
    Joey Witthus (Northwest Missouri)    222

HUDGINS IS SCORING, DISHING
Redshirt freshman Trevor Hudgins posted his second double-double of the season with 19 points and 10 assists in a 100-66 win over Midland.
    Hudgins went 8-of-12 from the field and tied for game-high scoring honors with 19 against the Warriors.
    Hudgins leads the league in assists (6.4 apg) and ranks No. 4 in the MIAA in scoring (20.6 ppg).
    Hudgins ranks No. 9 in the nation in total field goals made (64).

TREVOR WITH THE DISH
Trevor Hudgins handed out a career-high 11 assists in Northwest's 84-59 win over Winona State.
    It marked the first time since Justin Pitts handed out 10 assists vs. Southwest Baptist on Jan. 13, 2018, that a Beracat reached double figures in assists.

HAWKINS SEEING DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Sophomore Ryan Hawkins tallied 18 rebounds against Illinois-Springfield - the most by an MIAA player this season.
    The 18 rebounds by Hawkins ranks as the second-highest rebound total in a game this season, trailing only Will Lienhard (Oklahoma Christian) who posted 21 rebounds vs. Texas A&M-Commerce on Nov. 9, 2018.
    Hawkins has registered three double-doubles, which ranks tied for the sixth-most double-doubles in the nation this season. Hawkins has four career double-doubles.

HUDGINS TAKES MVP HONORS
Redshirt freshman guard Trevor Hudgins (Manhattan, Kansas) earned MVP honors after leading the Bearcats to a pair of wins over Northern State and No. 13 Ferris State in the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic. Hudgins averaged 25.5 points, 5.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals in the two games.

CENTURY MARK
Northwest tallied a 100-86 win over No. 13 Ferris State. It marks the first time reaching the century mark since scoring 103 points vs. Missouri Valley on Dec. 13, 2016.

CAN'T MISS 'CATS
Northwest began the Ferris State contest by making its first 10 three-point field goals. The Bearcats finished the game having drained 14 triples against the Bulldogs.

GETTING TO THE LINE
Northwest made 20 free throws in each of its first two games this season.
    The Bearcats went 20-of-28 against Northern State. Northwest followed that up with 20-of-23 at the line vs. Ferris State.

BRING ON THE BEST
The Bearcats began this season with wins over both teams that took part in the 2018 NCAA Division II national championship. Ferris State defeated Northern State in the title game in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Ferris State had won 27 consecutive games before falling to Northwest.
WORKING OVERTIME
Northwest opened the season with a 72-70 overtime win over Northern State. The Bearcats are 7-3 all-time under head coach Ben McCollum in overtime games.

NEUTRAL SITE STREAK IS ALIVE AND WELL
Northwest has won 26 straight games at neutral sites, including this past Monday's 85-66 win over Illinois-Springfield.
    Northwest has opened this season with five neutral site wins.The Bearcats were 7-0 in 2017-18 and 8-0 in 2016-17 on neutral site courts. The Bearcats won their final six neutral site games in 2015-16 following a season-opening 76-72 loss to Upper Iowa in St. Joseph on Nov. 13, 2015.

NOVEMBER BRINGS WINS
Northwest has won its last 22 straight games it has played in the month of November. Northwest was a 7-0 in the month of November in 2017-18. The Bearcats were a perfect 7-0 in November in its run to the national championship in the 2016-17 season.
    Northwest's last loss in November came Nov. 19, 2015 at Augustana. The Vikings scored a 79-77 win over the Bearcats in Sioux Falls, S.D.

20 OR MORE WINS IN 7 STRAIGHT SEASONS
Northwest is one of five teams in the nation to have won 20 or more games in seven consecutive seasons. Northwest, Bellarmine, Indiana (Pa.), Lincoln Memorial and West Liberty have each surpassed the 20-win mark in each of the last seven years.

PRESEASON POLLS
Northwest was tabbed to win the preseason MIAA poll by the members of the media. The coaches MIAA preseason poll had Northwest in the No. 2 spot behind Missouri Southern.

2018-19 MIAA Media Poll
1.     Northwest Missouri (6) - 262
2.     Missouri Southern (10) - 261
3.     Washburn (3) - 237
4.     Central Missouri - 225
5.     Pittsburg State (1) - 212
6.     Fort Hays State (1) - 208
7.     Central Oklahoma - 163
8.     Lindenwood - 150
9.     Nebraska Kearney - 123
10.     Lincoln - 119
11.     Emporia State - 79
12.     Missouri Western - 66
    Southwest Baptist - 66
14.     Northeastern State - 35

2018-19 MIAA Coaches Poll
1.     Missouri Southern (6) - 157
2.     Northwest Missouri (7) - 155
3.     Washburn (1) - 132
4.     Central Missouri - 128
5.     Central Oklahoma - 118
        Pittsburg State - 118
7.     Fort Hays State - 104
8.     Lindenwood - 87
9.     Lincoln - 68
10.     Nebraska Kearney - 66
11.     Emporia State - 47
12.     Northeastern State - 40
13.     Southwest Baptist - 30
14.     Missouri Western - 24

18 NCAA TOURNAMENTS
Northwest has earned 18 NCAA Tournament appearances with a record of 23-20. Northwest has served as the NCAA Central Region host in 2016-17 and 2017-18.
    Northwest has made three Elite Eight appearances (2001-02, 2003-04, 2016-17).
    The Bearcats captured the program's first national championships in the 2016-17 season.

2019 MIAA TOURNAMENT
The MIAA Basketball post-season tournament will be held in Kansas City for the 17th consecutive season. For the first time, the field in Kansas City will include 10 men's and 10 women's teams and will be played over 5 days, March 6-10, 2019.  The winners of both the men's and women's tournament will receive the automatic qualifier to the NCAA tournament.

PRESS CONFERENCE TUESDAY AT PIZZA RANCH
Northwest head coach Ben McCollum will be available each Tuesday from Noon - 1 p.m. for a press conference at the Maryville Pizza Ranch.