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KANSAS CITY, Missouri – The No. 1-ranked Northwest Missouri State University men's basketball team became the first MIAA school to win four consecutive tournament championship titles with an 82-53 triumph over Washburn University.
 
The 29-point margin is the largest ever in an MIAA Tournament championship game. The previous largest margin of victory in a title contest was a 26-point win by Pittsburg State over Missouri Southern in 2015 (91-65).
 
Northwest (32-0 overall) shot 50.9 percent from the field and made 14 three-pointers en route to the crown. Redshirt freshman Trevor Hudgins scored a game-high 27 points and dished out eight assists.
 
Senior Joey Witthus tallied 25 points and became a member of Northwest's 1,000-point scoring club. Witthus has recorded 1,019 points in two seasons as a Bearcat. Witthus did a lot of the heaving lifting in the opening half as he poured in 18 points in the opening 20 minutes.
 
"I think it's extremely special," head coach Ben McCollum said. "When you are 32-0 and now you've won four straight tournaments with six straight regular season – it's unheard of. Being 32-0 with younger kids and a group that didn't have a lot of experience that says a lot about the kids in our program their mental toughness. The reason it's so difficult, because human nature sets in. It is so difficult to fight human nature with youth."
 
Northwest led 39-25 at the break. The Bearcats led by as many as 34 points in the second half.
 
The NCAA Division II selection show will air tonight at 9:30 p.m. on NCAA.com. The Bearcat team will gather at Carson's in Maryville to view the show.
 
Tickets for the regional can be purchased online HERE starting at 10 p.m. Sunday evening. All seating for the regional will be general admission. Fans can purchase single session tickets in person at the Cashiering office. The Cashiering office, located on the first floor of the Administration Building, will be open until from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets early.

Single session tickets can be purchased for $12 each for adults and $7 for students. Children two and under are free per NCAA policy. The ticket office will open one hour and 15 minutes prior to the start of each session.
 
NOTES: Northwest has won 29 consecutive neutral floor games … Northwest has won eight MIAA Tournament titles overall – the most in the league's history … Joey Witthus was named the tournament MVP … Trevor Hudgins earned a spot on the all-tournament team.