BOX SCORE (PDF)

ST. JOSEPH, Missouri - Northwest Missouri State junior Ryan Hawkins set the school scoring record with 44 points and led the Bearcats to a 100-88 win over No. 9-ranked Southern Nazarene at the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic.

The No. 1-ranked Bearcats won their 40th consecutive game and move to 2-0 this season.

In a rematch of last year's NCAA Tournament second round matchup, Northwest was able to overcome a 43-42 halftime deficit and outscored the Crimson Storm 58-45 in the second half. Both squads put on a shooting display with Northwest shooting 58.7 percent and Southern Nazarene drained 55.6 percent of its shots.

Hawkins ended up outshining both of Southern Nazarene's shooting stars Micah Speight and Jhonathan Dunn. Dunn went for 32 points and Speight scored 28 points but the Crimson Storm could not find an answer for Hawkins. The junior from Atlantic, Iowa, was 15-of-22 from the field including 8-of-11 from three-point range. Hawkins had 15 points at the break and tore up the Crimson Storm for 29 second-half points. Hawkins was a perfect 6-for-6 from three-point range in the second half. Hawkins also grabbed a game-high nine rebounds.

Hawkins was joined in double figures by Trevor Hudgins (19 pts.), Tyler Dougherty (11 pts.), Ryan Welty (11 pts.) and Diego Bernard (11 pts.).

Northwest will be back in action at the St. Joseph Civic Arena next Friday vs. Minnesota-Crookston (3 p.m.) and Saturday against MSU Moorhead (4 p.m.).

NOTES: Northwest has won 34 straight games on neutral floors dating back to the start of the 2015-16 season ... the Bearcats trailed by as many as seven points (9-2) vs. the Crimson Storm ... the first half featured two ties and five lead changes ... the second half saw three ties and three lead changes ... Northwest went 10-of-15 from three-point range in the second half ... Northwest won the rebounding battle, 31-20 ... Northwest committed nine turnovers, while Southern Nazarene turned it over 11 times.

2019 SCB National HOF Classic Team
Anthony Brown, Lincoln Memorial
Courvoisier McCauley, Lincoln Memorial
Andrew Sischo, Daemen
Diego Bernard, Northwest Missouri State
Trevor Hudgins, Northwest Missouri State
Jhonathan Dunn, Southern Nazarene
Micah Speight, Southern Nazarene
Qua Grant, West Texas A&M
Joel Murray, West Texas A&M
Tyrell Carroll, MO Western
 
2019 Small College Basketball National Hall of Fame Classic Most Valuable Player
Ryan Hawkins, Northwest Missouri State