CLAREMORE, Okla. – The No. 4-ranked Northwest Missouri State University men's basketball squad marched its winning streak to eight in a row with a methodical 67-51 triumph over the Rogers State University Hillcats at the Claremore Expo Center.
 
Northwest took its season mark to 22-2 overall and 15-2 in MIAA play, while Rogers State tumbled to 12-11 overall and 8-9 in league action.
 
The Bearcats held their eighth straight opponent to less than 60 points. Overall, Northwest has limited 15 opponents to less than 60 points this season. Northwest has limited 11 of its MIAA opponents to 60 points or less this year.
 
Northwest and Rogers State played to a one-point game at the half with the Bearcats holding a 24-23 lead at the intermission.
 
Northwest made six of its first seven shots in the second half to open up a 38-27 lead with 16:26 to play in the game. The Bearcats went on to sink 10 of their first 13 field goal attempts in the second half to take a 51-38 advantage. The Bearcats would lead by as many as 18 in the second half at 67-49.
 
The Bearcats shot 53.1% for the game and was bolstered by 63.0% shooting in the second half. Northwest went 9-of-22 from the floor in the opening half. The Bearcats buried 17-of-27 field goal attempts in the second half.
 
Freshman Bennett Stirtz led the way with 18 points. Stirtz sank his first seven field goal attempts and finished the game 7-of-9 from the floor. He grabbed six rebounds and dished out five assists with two steals in 38 minutes of action.
 
Stirtz was joined in double-figure scoring by senior Diego Bernard (14 points) and junior Wes Dreamer (13 points). Bernard stuffed his stat line with seven rebounds, a steal and an assist. Dreamer connected on a trio of three-pointers and notched five rebounds.
 
Northwest will head to Tahlequah, Okla., to take on the Northeastern State University RiverHawks. Tip is set for Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
 
NOTES: Northwest is 6-0 all-time vs. Rogers State … Bernard has reached double-figure scoring in 115 career games … Dreamer has 54 career double-figure scoring contests … Stirtz has tallied 17 double-figure scoring games as a true freshman … Northwest has shot 50.0% or better in 16 of its 23 games this season … the Bearcats came into the contest ranked No. 3 in the nation in field goal percentage shooting at 52.3% … Northwest leads the nation in fewest rebounds allowed per game (25.7) and the Bearcats held the Hillcats to 21 rebounds in the game … Bernard collected seven rebounds to give him 914 for his career … Bernard needs 34 more rebounds to equal the school record of 948 rebounds by Ryan Hawkins … Northwest is 151-10 over the last five seasons … Northwest has a mark of 213-15 over the past seven seasons … over the last 10 seasons, Northwest is 175-22 in MIAA play … over the last seven seasons in MIAA play, Northwest has a record of 125-11 against league foes ... Northwest has won 14 of its 15 MIAA games by 10 points or more.