BOX SCORE (PDF)

ST. JOSEPH, Missouri – The Northwest Missouri State University men's basketball team extended the nation's longest win streak to 17 with a 87-64 win at Missouri Western on Saturday at the MWSU Fieldhouse.

Northwest (17-0 overall, 7-0 MIAA) also tallied its eighth straight road victory, which is the third-longest active streak in all of NCAA Division II basketball. Missouri Western dropped to 8-10 overall and 2-5 in MIAA action.

Northwest blitzed Missouri Western from the tip by taking an 11-0 to begin the game. Northwest extended its lead to 17-4 by making seven of its first 11 shots from the field.

Missouri Western closed to within 21-17 on a 13-4 run. However, Northwest came back with a 10-0 spurt to take a 31-17 advantage. The Bearcats enjoyed a 40-23 lead at intermission. Northwest committed only two turnovers in the opening 20 minutes.

Northwest led by as many as 30 points at 68-38 with 8:08 remaining in the game.

Redshirt freshman Trevor Hudgins notched his ninth 20-point scoring game of the season as he paced the Bearcat offense with 24 points.

The Bearcats will be in action again Thursday at Nebraska-Kearney. Tip is set for 7:30 p.m. in Kearney, Neb.

NOTES: Northwest has won 12 consecutive games against Missouri Western, including six straight in St. Joseph … Northwest has won 17 of the last 18 overall matchups with the Griffons … head coach Ben McCollum is 17-2 all-time vs. the Griffons … the Bearcats are 69-7 in their last 76 MIAA games ... over the last three seasons, Northwest has compiled a mark of 79-5 … sophomore Ryan Hawkins scored all 15 of his points in the first half ... St. Joseph native freshman Diego Bernard has scored in double figures in 13 straight games … Bernard scored 11 against the Griffons … Northwest shot 59.3 percent from the field … the Bearcats won the rebounding battle, 31-26.