KEARNEY, Neb. – The No. 7-ranked Northwest Missouri State University men's basketball used a suffocating defense to churn out a 76-36 road win over the University of Nebraska-Kearney Lopers on Thursday night at the Health & Sports Center.
 
Northwest scored its eighth straight win in the series with UNK in running its record this season to 18-2 overall and 11-2 in MIAA play. UNK fell to 3-16 overall and 1-12 in league action. UNK is 1-14 all-time vs. Northwest.
 
The 36 points allowed by the Bearcats is the fewest ever scored by an opponent under head coach Ben McCollum. It is the second straight game Northwest has held its opponent to less than 40 points in a game after giving up 38 points vs. Lincoln on Saturday.
 
The Bearcats have won all 11 of their MIAA games this season by 10 points or more – the only league school to have scored double-figure triumphs in all of their conference victories.
 
UNK missed its first four field goal attempts of the game and fell behind 12-2 barely four and a half minutes into the contest. UNK head coach Kevin Lofton called two timeouts in the first five minutes to attempt to squelch the Bearcat start.
 
The Bearcats limited the Lopers to 35.3% shooting in the first half on 6-of-17 field goals. Northwest hit on 55.6% of its field goals in the opening 20 minutes. Northwest had 10 assists on its first 15 made shots, while UNK had one assist on its first six made field goals in the contest. Northwest committed only three turnovers in the first half, while UNK was credited with 11 miscues.
 
Northwest continued its dominating performance in the second half by holding the Lopers to 19 points. UNK shot 26.9% in the second half on 7-of-26 shooting.
 
The Lopers shot 30.2% for the game on 13-of-43 shooting. Northwest shot 54.7% from the floor (29-of-53 FGs).
 
Senior Diego Bernard tallied a game-high 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting. Bernard was joined in double-figure scoring by Wes Dreamer (11), Mitch Mascari (10) and Luke Moustakas (10).
 
Northwest out-rebounded UNK, 31-23. Northwest committed only six turnovers, while UNK turned the ball over 17 times.
 
Northwest returns to action Saturday at 4 p.m. against Fort Hays State at Gross Auditorium in Hays, Kan.
 
NOTES: Diego Bernard scored 15 points to give him 1,985 career points … Bernard ranks No. 8 all-time in MIAA scoring … Northwest is 142-3 in games decided to 20 or more points under head coach Ben McCollum … Northwest has won 141 consecutive games when the final scoring margin is 20 points or more … Northwest is 149-10 over the last five seasons … Northwest is 211-15 over the last seven seasons … Northwest has shot 50% or better in 14 games this season.