ABERDEEN, S.D. - The Northwest Missouri State University Bearcat men's basketball team had four players reach double-figure scoring with senior Wes Dreamer leading the way with 30 points in a 91-82 win over the Upper Iowa University Peacocks at the Small College Basketball Champions Classic.

Dreamer registered his second career 30-point scoring game of his career as he made 10-of-17 shots from the floor, including 5-of-9 from three-point range. Dreamer also knocked in 5-of-7 at the free throw line. Dreamer grabbed a team-high nine rebounds. Dreamer made eight of his first nine shots from the floor as he put up 18 first-half points.

Junior Byron Alexander returned to the court where he earned 2021 NCAA Div. II Central Region Tournament MVP status. Alexander did not miss a beat in his return to Wachs Arena as he put up 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Alexander went 6-of-9 from the floor and was a perfect 6-of-6 at the free throw line.

Sophomore Bennett Stirtz turned in a 15-point, four-rebound and four-assist effort from the point guard slot. Stirtz committed only one turnover in nearly 36 minutes of court time.

Redshirt freshman Jack Ratigan reached double-figure scoring for the second time in three games as he tallied 10 points off the bench. Ratigan buried all six of his free throw attempts.

The Bearcats doubled up the Peacocks in rebounding at 34-17. Northwest also hit the offensive boards hard and held an 11-2 lead in that category. Alexander had three offensive rebounds. Dreamer, Stirtz and Ratigan each tallied two offensive boards.

Northwest also enjoyed an advantage at the free throw line by making 27-of-32 attempts, while Upper Iowa went 11-of-17 at the stripe.

UIU's Jake Hilmer came into the game averaging a nation's best 34.5 points per game. Hilmer was held eight points below his season average with 26 points on 11-of-18 shooting from the floor. Hilmer went 0-for-3 from beyond the three-point arc.

Northwest did not trail in the game. Northwest had a 15-point first-half lead at 34-19 and would hold a 10-point cushion at the break, 42-32. Northwest took its largest lead of the game at 76-59 with 8:24 to play after a pair of free makes from Ratigan. The Peacocks would get as close as six down the stretch at 86-80, but the Bearcats kept UIU at bay and scored the nine-point win.

The Bearcats shot a season-best 54.7% from the field on 29-of-53 shooting.

Northwest will be in action again Saturday at 5 p.m. against Emmanuel (Ga.).

NOTES: Northwest is 11-1 all-time against Upper Iowa ... Northwest has won 64 of its last 66 neutral court games ... Dreamer surpassed Conner Crooker on Northwest's all-time scoring list for No. 12 among Bearcat players ... Crooker scored 1,352 points from 2012-2016 ... Dreamer has posted 1,368 points as a Bearcat ... Northwest is 62-0 when scoring 90 or more points with head coach Ben McCollum ... Northwest is 226-17 over the last eight seasons.

Small College Basketball Champions Classic Records Set
Points Scored
30 - Wes Dreamer, previous record was 28

Total Points Scored
91, previous record was 89. 

Total Free Throws Made
27, previous record of 25