Northwest Men's Basketball Game Notes (PDF)

Friday, Nov. 8 | 3:30 p.m. | Civic Arena | St. Joseph, Mo.
No. 1 Northwest vs. Minnesota-Crookston
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Saturday, Nov. 9 | 4 p.m. | Civic Arena | St. Joseph, Mo.
No. 1 Northwest vs. MSU Moorhead
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NORTHWEST CONTINUES PLAY IN ST. JOSEPH AT HILLYARD
The Northwest Missouri State University men's basketball team (2-0 overall) will continue its non-conference play with two more games at Civic Arena in St. Joseph.
    Northwest will take on Minnesota-Crookston at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, before matching up against MSU Moorhead at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
    Both of Northwest's matchups will be streamed on The MIAA Network and broadcast live on the Bearcat Radio Network.

Friday, Nov. 8
1:30 p.m. Fort Hays State vs. Minnesota-Duluth (Women's Basketball)
3:30 p.m. Northwest Missouri State vs. Minnesota-Crookston (Men's Basketball)
5:30 p.m. Missouri Western vs. Concordia-St. Paul (Women's Basketball)
7:30 p.m. Missouri Western vs. MSU Moorhead (Men's Basketball)

Saturday, Nov. 9
2 p.m. Fort Hays State vs. Concordia-St. Paul (Women's Basketball)
4 p.m. Northwest Missouri State vs. MSU Moorhead (Men's Basketball)
6 p.m. Missouri Western vs. Minnesota-Duluth (Women's Basketball)
8 p.m. Missouri Western vs. Minnesota-Crookston (Men's Basketball)

MATCHUP NOTES
Friday will mark the first meeting between Northwest and Minnesota-Crookston on the hardwood.
    MSU Moorhead holds a 4-0 record all-time vs. Northwest. The teams last met in the 2015 NCAA Tournament. The Dragons scored a 47-42 regional final win over the Bearcats in Sioux Falls, S.D., on March 17, 2015.

SCHOOL, MIAA WIN STREAK WITHIN REACH
With two victories this weekend, Northwest would equal its school record and the MIAA record for consecutive victories (42).
    Northwest won 42 in a row under head coach Henry "Hank" Iba in 1929-30 and 1930-31. Northwest went 31-0 in 1929-30 and then won its first 11 games of the 1930-31 season to set the MIAA consecutive win mark at 42.
    The Bearcats went 38-0 in 2018-19 and won their first two games of the 2019-20 season at the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic. Northwest defeated No. 22 Daemen, 85-65 and No. 9 Southern Nazarene, 100-88.
    Winona State set the NCAA Div. II all-time consecutive wins streak with 57 from Jan. 13, 2006-March 22, 2007.

NEUTRAL COURT WIN STREAK
Northwest has won 33 straight games on neutral floors. It is the longest active win streak among all NCAA Div. I, II and III schools.
    Northwest's last loss on a neutral floor came Nov. 13, 2015, vs. Upper Iowa (L, 76-72).

Current Neutral Win Streaks (DII)
1. Northwest Missouri State    33
2. Adelphi            7
3. Rogers State            6
4. Four teams tied        5

NOVEMBER BRINGS WINS
Northwest has won its last 24 straight games it has played in the month of November. The Bearcats are 2-0 in November this season.
    The Bearcats went 7-0 in November in 2018-19. 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.

HAWKINS SETS NW SINGLE-GAME SCORING RECORD
Junior Ryan Hawkins scored a school-record 44 points in Northwest's 100-88 win over No. 9 Southern Nazarene.
    Hawkins broke the previous mark of 43 set by Ed Maxwell vs. Southeast Missouri State in the 1963-64 season.
    Hawkins is only the third Northwest player to score 40 or more points in a single game.

Northwest Single-Game Scoring Records
1. Ryan Hawkins, Southern Nazarene (11/2/19) - 44
2. Ed Maxwell, SE Missouri State (1963-64) - 43
3. David Alvey, William Jewell (Mo.) (12/1/75) - 42
4. Joey Witthus, Minnesota State (3/16/19) - 39
5. Glenn Phillips vs. Missouri Western (12/3/85) - 38
    Darrell Foster vs. Olathe Clippers (2/22/44) - 38
    Justin Pitts vs. Minnesota State (3/13/16) - 38
8. Justin Pitts vs. UNK (1/19/17) - 37
9. David Alvey, SE Missouri State (1/1 /76) - 36
    David Alvey, Central Missouri (1/25/75) - 36
    Joey Witthus, Pittsburg State (1/31/19) - 36

HAWKINS EARNS MVP HONOR
For the second straight year a Bearcat captured the MVP honor as the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic.
    Junior Ryan Hawkins averaged 34.0 points and shot 68.6 percent from the field - including 70.0 percent from three-point range.
    Last year, Trevor Hudgins was named the MVP of the event.

TRIO NAMED TO ALL-TOURNEY TEAM AT SCB HOF CLASSIC
Ryan Hawkins, Diego Bernard and Trevor Hudgins were named to the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic All-Tournament Team.
    Hawkins earned tourney MVP honors after scoring a SCB Classic record 44 points against No. 9-ranked Southern Nazarene.
    Bernard averaged 15.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists, while he shot 66.7 percent from the field.
    Hudgins averaged 21.5 points, 8.0 assists with a 4-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Hudgins was also a perfect 13-of-13 at the free throw line.

WELTY'S THREE-POINT PRECISION
Ryan Welty is the nation's active career leader in three-point field goal percentage. Welty has made 50.9 percent of his three-point shots (188-of-369).
    Welty ranks No. 2 among three-point accuracy shooters in all NCAA Divisions trailing Nick Penny (Carroll, Wis.; NCAA Div. III), who has made 51.8 percent of his career three-point shots (116-224).

NCAA II Active Career Leaders - 3-Point FG Pct.
1. Ryan Welty (Northwest Missouri)        .509
2. Mikkel Kolstand (Nova Southeastern)    .492
3. Dan Largey (Stonehill)            .476
4. Anthony Lee (Kutztown)            .468
5. Ronnie Silva (Adelphi)            .467

WELTY CLIMBS NORTHWEST'S 3-POINT CHART
Ryan Welty has made 184 career 3-pointers to rank No. 5 on Northwest's all-time 3-pointers made chart.

Northwest 3-Pointers Made in a Career
1.     Zach Schneider (2013-17)        370
2.    Justin Pitts (2014-18)        271
3.    Austin Meyer (2003-06)        215
4.    Conner Crooker (2013-16)        205
5.    Ryan Welty (2016-pres.)        188
6.    Scott Fleming (2000-03)        173
7.    Joey Witthus (2017-19)        172
8.    DeShaun Cooper (2009-14)    170
9.    Louis Jones (1987-89)        156
10.    Kelvin Parker (2001-04)        148

100-POINT MARK
Northwest has scored 100 or more points 11 times under head coach Ben McCollum.
    The Bearcats scored a 100-88 victory over No. 9 Southern Nazarene on Nov. 2 at the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic at Civic Arena.

100-Point Games under McCollum
105-55 vs. Manhattan Christian (11/16/09)
104-67 vs. Graceland (11/28/09)
105-59 vs. Waldorf (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)
108-58 vs. Simpson (12/30/18)
105-70 at Northeastern State (1/3/19)
111-83 vs. Pittsburg State (1/31/19)
100-88 vs. Southern Nazarene (11/2/19)

FOR OPENERS
Northwest has produced an 8-3 mark in season openers for head coach Ben McCollum.
    The Bearcats have won their last four season openers.

Season Openers Since 2009-10
W, 85-65 vs. Daemen (11/1/19)
W, 72-70 OT vs. Northern State (11/3/18)
W, 89-65 vs. Upper Iowa (11/10/17)
W, 87-52 vs. Upper Iowa (11/11/16)
L, 76-72 vs. Upper Iowa (11/13/15)
L, 75-66 vs. MSU-Moorhead (11/14/14)
W, 91-78 vs. Upper Iowa (11/9/13)
W, 86-65 vs. Graceland (11/11/12)
W, 66-62 at UMKC (11/11/11)
L, 72-67 vs. SW Minnesota St. (11/14/10)
W, 105-55 vs. Manhattan Christian (11/16/09)

PRESEASON NO. 1
Defending national champion Northwest Missouri State is atop the NABC/Division II pre-season for the second time in three years. Northwest is the only school to hold the top ranking in the pre-season poll after winning a national title over the last eight years.

NORTHWEST GOES TOE TO TOE WITH DUKE BLUE DEVILS
The defending NCAA Division II national champions gave the Duke Blue Devils everything they could and delighted the Bearcat contingent who trekked to Cameron Indoor Stadium with a strong finish in a 69-63 exhibition game loss.

HUDGINS BUSTS OUT FOR 27
Trevor Hudgins scored a game-high 27 points against the No. 4-ranked Duke Blue Devils.
    Hudgins went 9-of-18 from the floor, including 7-of-13 from three-point range against Duke. He also handed out a team-high four assists.

HAWK HANGS WITH DUKE
Junior forward Ryan Hawkins put up 16 points and nine rebounds against the Duke Blue Devils. He also caught the eye of Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski.
    "The kid, Hawkins is a good player too," Krzyzewski said in the postgame press press conference.

THREE-BALL
Northwest drained 15-of-34 three-point shots against Duke. Meanwhile, the Bearcats limited the Blue Devils to 2-of-16 shooting from beyond the three-point arc.

101 WINS OVER LAST THREE SEASONS
Northwest has been playing on a different level the last four seasons. The Bearcats have posted a record of 101-5 since the start of the 2016-17 season. Northwest went 35-1 in 2016-17 and won the national title. The Bearcats went 27-4 in 2017-18, before going 38-0 and winning their second national crown in 2018-19.

FIFTH ALL-TIME PERFECT DIVISION II SEASON
Northwest became only the fifth NCAA Division II basketball program to complete a perfect regular season and capture the national title. Northwest went 38-0 and won the program's second national championship.

Div. II Undefeated Champions
Northwest Mo. St. (38-0), 2018-19
Findlay (36-0), 2008-09
Fort Hays State (34-0),  1995-96
Cal State Bakersfield (33-0), 1992-93
Evansville (29-0) 1964-65

20+ WINS IN 8 STRAIGHT SEASONS
Northwest is one of five NCAA Division II teams in the nation to have won 20 or more games in eight consecutive seasons. Northwest (8), Bellarmine (11), Indiana Pa. (11), Lincoln Memorial (10) and West Liberty (15) have each surpassed the 20-win mark in at least eight straight seasons.

SCHOOL RECORD FOR WINS
The Bearcats set the MIAA record for wins (38) in a season in 2018-19.
    Northwest and Ferris State own the NCAA Division II single-season record for wins. Ferris State recorded 38 victories in the 2017-18 season.

19 NCAA TOURNAMENTS
Northwest has earned 19 NCAA Tournament appearances with a recod of 29-20. Northwest has served as the NCAA Central Region host in 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19.
    Northwest has made four Elite Eight appearances (2001-02, 2003-04, 2016-17, 2018-19).

AMONG THE BEST
In 2018-19, Northwest ranked No. 1 in the nation in scoring margin (+20.7) and in turnovers per game (7.8).
    Northwest ranked No. 2 in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.78) and total 3-point field goals made (404).
    The Bearcats ranked No. 3 in and scoring defense (61.7).

SHOOTING IT WELL
Northwest has shot 50 percent or better from the field in 22 of its 38 games. Northwest has also shot 50 percent or better in six road games and on five neutral courts.

MIAA REIGN CONTINUES
In 2018-19, Northwest became the first school in MIAA history to win six consecutive MIAA regular season titles. The Bearcats also became the first MIAA program to win four consecutive league tournament titles in 2018-19.

PRESEASON POLLS
Northwest has been picked to win the preseason MIAA coaches and media polls.

2019-20 MIAA Media Poll
1.     Northwest Missouri (19) - 279
2.     Missouri Southern (1) - 259
3.     Washburn - 238
4.     Fort Hays State - 198
5.     Pittsburg State - 183
6.     Lincoln - 156
7.     Central Missouri - 140
8.     Emporia State - 123
9.     Missouri Western - 120
10.    Newman - 103
11.    Rogers State - 102
12.    Northeastern State - 88
13.     Nebraska-Kearney - 64
14.    Central Oklahoma - 46


2019-20 MIAA Coaches Poll
1.     Northwest Missouri (13) - 169
2.     Missouri Southern (1) - 157
3.     Washburn - 131
4.     Fort Hays State - 124
5.     Northeastern State - 99
6.     Central Missouri - 96
7.     Lincoln - 93
8.       Pittsburg State - 92
9.    Rogers State - 68
10.    Emporia State - 66
11.    Newman - 61
12.     Missouri Western - 58
13.     Central Oklahoma - 44
14.    Nebraska-Kearney - 16

MCCOLLUM RANKS NO. 6 IN WIN PERCENTAGE
Northwest head coach Ben McCollum ranks No. 6 among active NCAA Division II coaches in winning percentage with a minimum of 10 years as a head coach.
    McCollum has guided the Bearcats to a mark of 243-75 (.764 winning percentage) in his 11th season at the helm of the Northwest program.

NCAA Div. II Head Coach Win Percentage (Min. 10 yrs.)
1. Jim Crutchfield (Nova Southeastern)    .844 (405-75, 15 yrs.)
2. Josh Schertz (Lincoln Memorial)    .817 (286-64, 11 yrs.)
3. Scott Davenport (Bellarmine)    .773 (344-101, 14 yrs.)
4. Burt Paddock (Davenport)    .769 (286-86, 11 yrs.)
5. Jeff Young (Walsh)    .766 (356-109, 18 yrs.)
6. Ben McCollum (Northwest Mo. St.)    .764 (243-75, 10 yrs.)
7. Mike Jones (Mississippi College)    .760 (330-104, 16 yrs.)
8. Ken Ammann (Concordia, Calif.)    .759 (465-148, 18 yrs.)
9. Rodney Watson (Southern Indiana)    .756 (229-74, 10 yrs.)
10. Joe Lombardi (Indiana, Pa.)    .753 (305-100, 13 yrs.)
Source: NCAA Statistics

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.