WARRENSBURG, Mo. – The No. 2-ranked Northwest Missouri State University men's basketball team captured its 21st straight road win and eighth consecutive win overall with a 77-53 victory over the University of Central Missouri Mules.
 
Northwest moved its season mark to 10-1 overall and 4-0 in MIAA play. UCM dropped to 4-3 overall and 1-2 in league action.
 
Northwest jumped out all over UCM with a 22-4 start to the contest. Northwest made eight of its first 11 field goal attempts in building an 18-point bulge. Trevor Hudgins sank a triple in the closing seconds of the first half to give Northwest a 20-point lead at the break, 39-19.
 
UCM was held to 4-of-16 shooting, including 0-of-4 from three-point land in the opening half. Northwest sank 13-of-26 shots, including 6-of-17 from distance. UCM made 11-of-15 free throws in the first 20 minutes. Northwest went 7-of-8 from the charity stripe.
 
Northwest extended its lead to 27 points at 51-24 nearly five minutes into the second half. The Bearcats simply methodically took it to the Mules in the second half as the lead never dipped below 20 points the rest of the way.
 
The Bearcats shot 52.9% from the field for the game by making 27-of-51 field goals. Northwest sank 11 three-pointers and went 12-of-14 at the free throw line. UCM shot 40.5% on 17-of-42 field goals. The Mules buried five three-pointers and went 14-of-18 at the free throw line. Northwest out-rebound the Mules, 29-25.
 
Northwest will return to action Saturday at home against the Missouri Western Griffons. Tip is set for 3:30 p.m. at Bearcat Arena.
 
NOTES: Northwest had all five starters reach double-figure scoring led by Luke Waters with 19 points … Waters also snagged a team-high six rebounds … Trevor Hudgins buried a team-best four three-pointers and tallied 16 points … Wes Dreamer missed one shot in the contest and recorded 13 points … Diego Bernard hit for 10 points, five rebounds and three assists … Isaiah Jackson posted his second straight career-high in scoring with 11 points … Northwest has won 37 of its last 38 road games … Northwest is 107-4 in the last four seasons … Northwest is 169-9 over the past six campaigns … Northwest has won 122 consecutive games when the final scoring margin is 20 points or more … Northwest is 124-2 under head coach Ben McCollum in games decided by 20 points or more … Ben McCollum captured his 308th career victory moving him into a tie for seventh on the all-time MIAA coaching victory list with Willard Sims (Truman State).