TAHLEQUAH, Okla. - The No. 4-ranked Northwest Missouri State University men's basketball team slammed the Northeastern State University RiverHawks, 79-43.
 
Northwest moved its win streak to nine straight and improved to 23-2 on the season. Northwest is 16-2 in MIAA and in sole possession of first place in the league standings following Central Oklahoma's loss at Washburn on Saturday afternoon.
 
The RiverHawks lost their fifth straight game to fall to 10-12 overall and 7-11 in MIAA action.
 
Northwest shot 63.0% from the floor (29-of-46) and sizzled from three-point range by knocking in 13-of-24 from distance (54.2%). Northwest had seven different players make at least one three-pointer in the contest.
 
NSU was held to 40.5% from the field (17-of-42) and was frigid from deep by making only 2-of-17 three-pointers (11.8%).
 
Junior Wes Dreamer led the way with 22 points. Dreamer drained six three-pointers and grabbed six rebounds in the win.
 
Sophomore Daniel Abreu went 5-of-6 from the field and scored 12 points in 19 minutes of action.
 
Senior Diego Bernard tallied 11 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals.
 
Northwest led 18-6 less than eight minutes into the matchup and never let the lead slip below double digits the rest of the way. The Bearcats built a 23-point first-half lead at 41-18 following a layup from freshman Bennett Stirtz with :49 left in the half. Northwest led 41-21 at the break. Northwest shot 71.4% from the floor in the first half and was 10-of-10 on two-point field goals in the opening 20 minutes.
 
The Bearcats ballooned the lead to 31 at 64-33 on a bucket by sophomore Byron Alexander with 10:33 to play in the game. Northwest's largest lead in the game was 38 points at 71-33 following a jumper from Abreu with 5:46 left on the clock.
 
Northwest will travel to Washburn on Tuesday for a 7:30 tip against the Ichabods.
 
NOTES: Northwest is 16-1 all-time vs. NSU … NSU is 0-14 against Northwest since the RiverHawks joined the MIAA … Northwest is 165-5 under coach Ben McCollum when holding the opposition to less than 60 points … Northwest has held 16 opponents this season to less than 60 points … Northwest won the rebounding battle, 26-17 … Northwest committed only seven turnovers … NSU was tagged with 12 turnovers.