LAKELAND, Fla. – The No. 1-ranked Northwest Missouri State University men's basketball team shot a Small College Basketball Hall of Fame record 69.8% from the floor in its 78-62 season-opening win over West Texas A&M.
 
The Bearcats made 30-of-43 field goals in the game, including a sizzling 73.9% in the second half (17-of-23). The Bearcats drained 10 of their final 11 field goals in the game to turn a three-point deficit into a 16-point victory.
 
Northwest had four players in double-figure scoring. Sophomore Mitch Mascari came off the bench to drain six field goals, including 5-of-7 from three-point range to tally a team-best 18 points.
 
Junior Luke Waters knocked in 6-of-7 field goals and went 5-of-7 from the line to put up 17 points.
 
True freshman Bennett Stirtz made his debut one to remember. Stirtz did not miss a shot or commit a turnover in 26 minutes of action. Stirtz went 6-of-6 from the floor and grabbed five rebounds.
 
Sophomore Byron Alexander tallied 12 points and six rebounds. Alexander went 5-of-7 from the field. He also handed out three assists.
 
Senior guard Diego Bernard ripped down a game-high 14 rebounds. Bernard also dished out four assists to go along with five points.
 
Northwest shot 65.0% from the floor in the opening half and led by as many as 10 points at 28-18. The 'Cats used a 13-4 run to turn a 15-14 lead into a 28-18 advantage. Northwest knocked in a trio of three-pointers in the 13-4 run on triples from Mascari, Dreamer and Mascari.
 
However, the Buffs answered the Bearcats run with a spurt of their own. West Texas A&M hit Northwest with an 18-6 run to take a 36-34 advantage. The Bearcats and the Buffs were knotted at the half, 36-36.
 
Mascari came off the bench to score a Bearcat-best 11 first-half points. Mascari went 4-of-5 from the field including 3-of-4 from three-point range in the opening 20 minutes.
 
Northwest had an uncharacteristic nine first-half turnovers, while West Texas limited its miscues to three in the opening half.
 
West Texas opened the second half by taking a three-point lead at 40-37. Northwest kicked it into gear with a 14-1 run that was capped by a Stirtz dunk with 13:31 left that gave the Bearcats a 51-41 lead.
 
The Buffs pulled to within five at 55-50 only to see the Bearcats simply lock in defensively. Northwest held West Texas A&M without a made field goal for 5:22. In that stretch, Northwest used a 12-0 run to take a 67-50 advantage.
 
Northwest held West Texas to 8-of-29 shooting in the second half and finished off the win at 78-62.
 
Northwest will be back in action Sunday night at 7 p.m. (CT) against Flagler.
 
NOTES: Northwest set the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic record for highest single game field goal percentage (69.8% - 30-of-43) … Northwest moved to 11-3 in season opening games under head coach Ben McCollum … Northwest has won seven consecutive season openers … Northwest is 56-1 in its last 57 neutral court games … Diego Bernard moved up to No. 4 on Northwest's all-time rebounds list with 811 career boards … Bernard moved past Hunter Henry who tallied 808 rebounds from 2006-2009 … Northwest is 194-13 over the past seven seasons and 132-8 over the last five years.