EDMOND, Okla. – The No. 7-ranked University of Central Oklahoma Bronchos defended their home court Thursday and staked its claim to the outright lead in the MIAA with a 69-58 victory over the No. 4-ranked Northwest Missouri State University Bearcat men's basketball team.
 
UCO moves its winning streak to nine in a row in moving to 16-1 overall and 10-1 in MIAA play. Northwest falls to 14-2 overall and 7-2 in league play. UCO has defeated Northwest two straight times in Hamilton Field House.
 
Northwest shot its lowest field goal percentage of the season at 38.2% after coming into the game leading the nation at 55.1% per contest. Northwest's previous low shooting game this season came in a 47.8% effort in a 79-42 win over Minnesota Crookston on Nov. 12.
 
Northwest was whistled for a season-high 27 fouls. The Bronchos went 18-of-30 at the free throw line.
 
The Bronchos shot 59.5% from the floor in the win. UCO won the rebounding battle, 32-23.
 
Senior Diego Bernard led Northwest with 16 points and five steals. He was joined in double-figure scoring by freshman Bennett Stirtz with 14 points and junior Luke Waters with 12 points. Stirtz posted a steal in the first half to extend his streak to 16 straight games with at least one steal to begin his collegiate career.
 
UCO came out firing in the first half by draining 70.0% of its shots in taking a 38-27 lead at the break. UCO buried its first seven shots of the game in building a 17-6 advantage. The Bronchos also knocked in their first three attempts from three-point range in the opening half.
 
After UCO built its 17-6 lead, Northwest battled back and cut the lead to four at 23-19 on a bucket from junior Luke Waters with 8:42 to play in the half. However, UCO responded with a 15-5 run to take its biggest lead of the opening half at 38-24 with 1:49 left.
 
The Bearcats battled back to within six points at 53-47 with 5:44 to play on a bucket from Stirtz. However, UCO came back on the other end and scored a three-point play of their own from Jaden Wells. Wells led all scorers in the game with 19 points.
 
UCO went on a 14-6 run to take a commanding 67-53 lead with 1:25 to play en route to its 11-point triumph over the visiting Bearcats.
 
The Bearcats return to action Saturday to take on the Newman Jets in Wichita, Kan. Tip is set for 3:30 p.m. at Fugate Gymnasium.