KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Junior guard
Trevor Hudgins poured in 35 points to lead the No. 15-ranked Northwest Missouri State University men's basketball team to the program's 10th MIAA Tournament championship with an 84-76 triumph over the Washburn Ichabods.
Northwest (28-5 overall) moved to 10-7 in MIAA Tournament championship games.
Bearcat head coach
Ben McCollum collected his sixth MIAA Tournament crown – the most by any coach in league history. He entered the day tied with Washburn's Bob Chipman with five titles.
Hudgins's performance also pushed him past Justin Pitts for the MIAA's all-time tournament scoring mark with 261 points through 12 games. Pitts totaled 242 in 11 tournament contests.
The 35-point performance is the most ever in an MIAA championship game. The previous mark of 31 was held by Nebraska-Kearney's Connor Beranek (vs. Northwest on March 6, 2016), Missouri Southern's Cam Martin (vs. Northwest on March 8, 2020) and Hudgins (vs. Missouri Southern on March 8, 2020).
Hudgins buried 13-of-21 field goals, including 6-of-12 from three-point range. Hudgins was also perfect at the free throw line in three attempts to extend his consecutive free throw made streak to 32.
Hudgins had eight points at half before exploding for 27 second-half points. Hudgins buried five of his three-pointers in the second half. He played all 40 minutes for the 47
th time in his career and did not commit a turnover in the game. He tied with Washburn's Tyler Geiman for game-high honors with five assists.
Sophomore
Luke Waters also performed to a high standard Sunday with a 20-point scoring effort. Waters went 8-of-12 from the field, including 4-of-6 from three-point range. Waters sank three of his three-pointers in the opening half as he led the 'Cats at the break with 13 points.
Washburn opened up a pair of 10-point first half leads at 30-20 and 32-22. Northwest closed the half on a 16-3 to put the Bearcats up 38-35 at the intermission.
The Bearcats continued its run into the second half and took an 11-point lead at 51-40. Altogether, Northwest used a 29-8 spurt to turn a 10-point deficit into a nine-point advantage.
Hudgins hit a three-pointer with 13:07 to play in the game to give Northwest a 60-51 lead. The Ichabods refused to wilt and came back with a 12-2 that consisted of four consecutive uncontested layups against the Bearcat defense. The final layup from Jalen Lewis gave Washburn a 63-62 lead with 8:37 to play.
Diego Bernard answered with three of his 11 points on a conventional three-point play with 7:36 left that put the Bearcats back on top, 65-63.
Hudgins would hit back-to-back three-pointers sandwiched around a bucket from Washburn's Jonny Clausing that allowed the Bearcats to take a 71-65 lead with 5:57 to play. Washburn's Connor Deffebaugh missed the front end of a 1-and-1 and Waters responded on the other end with a layup that put him at 20 points and pushed the Bearcat advantage to 73-65 with 4:39 left.
Geiman drove in for a layup and Lewis was fouled by Bernard as he was shooting a three-pointer and drained all three free throws to close to within 73-70 with 3:28 left.
Hudgins then showed why he is a three-time MIAA Player of the Year as he carried the Bearcats down the stretch. Hudgins drove for a layup and put Northwest up five with 3:02 to play. After Geiman split a pair of free throws with 2:50 remaining, Northwest clung to a four-point lead at 75-71.
Hudgins had his shot blocked by Geiman but the Bearcats retained possession with five seconds on the shot clock with 2:24 left in the game. Hudgins took the inbound pass in front of the Bearcat bench and buried a deep triple with the shot clock expiring to take the margin back to seven at 78-71.
Hudgins took it to the bucket again with 1:14 left and Northwest had a nine-point lead at 80-71. A tip dunk by Washburn's Michael Keegan cut the lead to seven.
Isaiah Jackson and Bernard each split a pair of free throws before Washburn's Tyler Nelson hit a three with :19 left to pull to within six at 82-76.
Fittingly, Hudgins was fouled with :15 left and he sank both free throws to close out his 35-point performance and give Northwest an 84-76 MIAA Tournament-title clinching win.
MIAA All-Tournament Team
Trevor Hudgins - Most Outstanding Player
Wes Dreamer
Diego Bernard
Tyler Geiman
Jalen Lewis
NOTES: Northwest has won four MIAA Tournament titles as the No. 2 seed … the Bearcats were the No. 2 seed when they won MIAA tourney crowns in 1989, 2002, 2008 and 2022 … overall, the No. 2 seeds are 73-28 (.721) with 14 titles … it's the first time Bearcat head coach
Ben McCollum has won the title from the No. 2 seed as his previous five crowns came as the No. 1 seed … Northwest owns the MIAA record for tournament victories (51), championship game appearances (17), tournament titles (10), consecutive championships (5), consecutive tournament victories (17) and No. 1 seeds (10) … Northwest improved to 51-26 all-time in MIAA Tournament play … Northwest is 17-4 as a No. 2 seed … head coach
Ben McCollum improved to 26-5 (.839) in MIAA tourney action … his 26 MIAA tourney wins ranks No. 2 in the league behind Washburn's Bob Chipman (34-20) … Hudgins is the first MIAA player to have three 30-point scoring games in MIAA Tournament history … Northwest has won 21 of its last 22 games in Municipal Auditorium … Northwest has won 50 of its last 51 games on neutral courts … Hudgins played in his 133
rd career game tying him with
Zach Schneider for the most games played in MIAA men's basketball history … Hudgins and the Bearcats have posted a record of 125-8 over the past four seasons … Hudgins has made an NCAA-best 148 three-pointers this season … his 148 three-pointers made ranks tied for the fourth-most in NCAA Division II single-season history (Alex Williamson, Sacramento State holds the mark of 167 set in 1987-88) … Hudgins has made 415 career three-pointers, which ranks No. 6 all-time in NCAA Div. II history … Hudgins and Waters each played 40 minutes in the title game … Hudgins has played 40 all minutes in eight of his last nine games … Hudgins has 48 career 40-minute games … Waters has five career 40-minute contests … Hudgins has scored 2,710 career points and needs 109 more points to equal the MIAA all-time scoring mark set by Central Missouri's Bill Fennelly (1977-81) … Hudgins ranks No. 21 on the all-time NCAA Div. II scoring list … Hudgins has scored 778 points this season – two away from the Northwest single-season record of 780 set by Joey Witthus in the 2018-19 season.
Northwest in MIAA Title Games
1984 - UCM 70, Northwest 65
1989 - Northwest 82, UCM 77
1998 - MWSU 65, Northwest 52
1999 - Truman St. 70, Northwest 68
2000 - MSSU 90, Northwest 79
2001 - WU 81, Northwest 74
2002 - Northwest 71, MWSU 58
2004 - Northwest 78, WU 71
2008 - Northwest 57, ESU 51
2013 - UCM 79, Northwest 76 (OT)
2016 - Northwest 61, UNK 53
2017 - Northwest 69, UCM 61
2018 - Northwest 80, WU 74
2019 - Northwest 82, WU 53
2020 - Northwest 78, MSSU 76
2021 - WU 69, Northwest 68
2022 - Northwest 84, WU 76
