KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Northwest Missouri State University men's basketball team dropped a 63-61 matchup to the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs as the Lions scored on a bucket in the closing seconds at Municipal Auditorium.
The Bearcats held a 61-57 lead after back-to-back scores from
Jack Ratigan and
Emorie Knox. However, the Lions scored six straight points in the final 1:32 of the contest. UCCS's Xavier Martinez scored the game-winner with :01.9 left to tally the victory.
Northwest is 1-3 on the season, while UCCS is 3-1. The Lions knocked off Pittsburg State last night, 91-83, and then scored a two-point win today over its second straight MIAA foe.
Emorie Knox and
Padraig Gallagher tied for team-high scoring honors with 12 points.
Ja'Vion Byers notched his first career double-figure scoring game as a Bearcat with 10 points.
Jack Ratigan brought in a team-best seven rebounds and three blocks.
Northwest spotted UCCS a 10-point first-half lead at 20-10 before storming back to take a 34-33 lead at the intermission.
Ja'Vion Byers got the comeback started by scoring eight points, including a pair of three-pointers as the Bearcats trimmed the UCCS lead to 20-19. UCCS hit back with an 8-0 spurt to take a 28-19 advantage.
Northwest mounted a 15-1 spurt to take a 34-29 lead. Northwest made six-of-seven field goals in the run. A
Padraig Gallagher triple gave Northwest its first lead of the half at 31-29 with 2:27 to play.
Emorie Knox boosted the lead to five on a pull-up three-pointer with 1:20 left to give Northwest a 34-29 lead. UCCS tallied the final four points of the half.
The Bearcats built a seven-point bulge at 50-43 after Byers knocked in a pair of free throws with 10:26 to play. UCCS answered with a 12-3 run to take a 55-53 advantage with 5:46 left in the contest.
Spencer Schomers and Knox responded with buckets to tilt the score back in Northwest's favor at 57-55 with 4:07 to play. UCCS knotted the contest at 57-57 with 3:23 left setting the stage for the final three-minute flurry.
Northwest will hit the road next week for Fayette, Iowa, to take on Southwest Minnesota State (Saturday, 1 p.m.) and Concordia-St. Paul (Sunday 1 p.m.).
NOTES: Northwest committed seven turnovers, while forcing UCCS into eight miscues … Northwest drained 8-of-20 three-pointers in the first half, but cooled off with 3-of-14 from distance in the second half … the Lions sank only three of 16 three-point shots in the matchup … UCCS won the rebounding battle, 45-35 … Northwest shot 4-of-7 at the free throw line, while UCCS went 12-of-20 at the charity stripe.
