PITTSBURG, Kan. – The No. 2-ranked Northwest Missouri State University men's basketball team fended off the pesky Pittsburg State Gorillas, 80-68.
 
Northwest (22-3 overall, 15-2 MIAA) defeated Pittsburg State (6-17 overall, 5-12 MIAA) for the 14th consecutive time in the series. The Bearcats also avoided losing back-to-back games. Northwest has played 211 games since losing back-to-back contests since Dec. 15/18, 2015 at Lincoln and Lindenwood.
 
Junior guard Trevor Hudgins hit for 20 points, nine assists, four rebounds and two steals. Hudgins went 7-of-15 from the field, including 2-of-9 from three-point range. Hudgins secured his 68th career 20-point scoring game. He has scored in double figures in 67 consecutive games.
 
Junior Diego Bernard filled up the stat sheet as well with 19 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals. Bernard went 6-of-8 from the field.
 
Northwest threatened to turn it into a blowout early. Northwest used a 22-2 run, that included a 17-0 spurt, to open up a 30-6 lead to start the game. Northwest led 42-17 after a Luke Moustakas three-pointer with 2:11 left in the half. Northwest would lead 44-23 at the break.
 
The Gorillas used an 11-2 run that encompassed the end of the first half and the first two-plus minutes of the second half to trim the lead to 44-29 with 17:46 to play.
 
The Gorillas used a 14-4 run to cut the lead to single digits at 72-64 with 4:00. Hudgins answered with a three-pointer on the Bearcat end of the floor to push it back to 11 on Northwest's next possession. The Gorillas pulled to within seven at 75-68 with 1:16 to play, but Bernard hit two free throws with 1:05 to play and a three-pointer with :41 remaining to close out the scoring in the game.
 
Northwest will travel to Missouri Southern Saturday to complete its busy week of league road action. Tip is set for 3:30 p.m. in Joplin, Mo.
 
NOTES: Trevor Hudgins became the MIAA's single-season record holder for three-pointers made when he drained a three-pointer with 6:07 left in the first half … Missouri S&T's Duane Huddleston had held the mark since the 1987-88 season with 118 made three-pointers … Northwest shot 50.0% or better for the 18th time this season … Northwest has won 14 of its 15 MIAA games by double figures this season … Ben McCollum improved to 20-5 all-time against Pittsburg State … Northwest has produced a mark of 119-6 over the past four seasons … over the past six seasons, Northwest has a record of 181-11.
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