KEARNEY, Neb. – The No. 13-ranked Northwest Missouri State University men's basketball team avoided a three-game losing skid with a 77-67 road win over the University of Nebraska-Kearney Lopers at the Health and Sports Center.
 
Northwest (24-5 overall, 17-4 MIAA) and Nebraska-Kearney (11-16 overall, 7-14 MIAA) were knotted at 59-59 with 5:48 to play before the Bearcats were able to pull away for the 10-point victory.
 
Northwest held a 17-12 lead following a Luke Waters layup with 12:21 to play in the first half. UNK answered with an 8-1 spurt to take a 20-18 advantage with 8:32 left before intermission. Neither squad would lead by more than three points in the final 10:16 of the first half.
 
Junior Diego Bernard carried the Bearcats in the opening 20 minutes as he tallied 14 points, five rebounds, three steals and two assists. Bernard made 5-of-10 shots in the first half.
 
Northwest opened the second half on a 12-3 spurt with Trevor Hudgins scoring the first 10 points of the half for the 'Cats. Following an Isaiah Jackson layup with 15:42 to play, Northwest enjoyed a 43-34 lead.
 
However, UNK hit back with an 11-0 run to stun the 'Cats. UNK held Northwest without a basket for 4:28 and took a 48-45 advantage.
 
Wes Dreamer, who had been held to one point in the first 28 minutes, hit his first three-pointer of the contest to even it at 48-48 with 11:14 to play. Dreamer added a conventional three-point play and Hudgins hit a shot in the lane to give Northwest a 57-52 lead with 8:48 to play.
 
UNK refused to wilt and evened it back up at 59-59 on a putback by Winston Cook with 5:48 to play.
 
Byron Alexander gave Northwest the lead for good at 61-59 with 5:23 left. Hudgins added another bucket to stretch the margin to four. But it was Dreamer that controlled the game's final 4:20 as he posted seven points on three baskets to stretch the Bearcat lead to 70-61.
 
Waters scored two layups and drew two fouls in the final two minutes to give Northwest a 75-63 lead with 1:45 to play.
 
Hudgins sank two free throws with 1:22 remaining in the game for Northwest's final points and the 'Cats claimed a 77-67 road win.
 
Hudgins came into the game averaging 24.3 points per game and scored 24 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the floor. Hudgins knocked in four three-pointers and handed out four assists.
 
Bernard captured his 12th career double-double with 18 points and a season-high 13 rebounds. Bernard also added five steals and four assists to his stat line.

Northwest will play its final regular season game at home Saturday against No. 18-ranked Fort Hays State. Tip is set for 3:30 p.m. in Bearcat Arena. Northwest will honor Hudgins prior to his final home game.
 
NOTES: Northwest became only the 10th team in MIAA history to post 17 league wins in a season … Northwest has accomplished the feat six of the 10 times … Trevor Hudgins became only the ninth NCAA Division II player to make 400 career three-pointers … Hudgins has made 403 career three-pointers … Hudgins tallied only the fifth 700-point scoring season in Bearcat men's basketball history … Hudgins has scored 703 points this season … it's the second time in his career he has reached 700 points in a season … Hudgins scored 712 points as a freshman in the 2018-19 season … Hudgins played in his 45th 40-minute game of his career … head coach Ben McCollum became only the fifth coach in the history of the MIAA to record 200 league victories … McCollum has posted a mark of 200-59 in MIAA games.


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