MANKATO, Minn. - Minnesota State's Elijah Hazekamp's bucket at the buzzer stunned No. 4-ranked Northwest Missouri State and allowed the Mavericks to claim the NCAA Div. II Central Region title, 43-42.

The Mavericks (32-2) trailed by eight points at the half, but rallied to end the Bearcats season by outscoring Northwest (29-5) in the second half, 25-17.

Junior Daniel Abreu scored a game-high 17 points and grabbed a team-best seven rebounds.

Northwest used a 10-2 spurt in the first half to open up a 13-7 lead with 12:28 left. Northwest opened up a 10-point lead at 23-13 with 5:33 to play when Abreu scored his 10th point of the half. Northwest took a 25-17 to the locker room. Minnesota State was limited to 1-for-14 from three-point land in the first half.

The Mavericks got their first tie of the second half at 35-35 with 7:43 left in the game. The Mavericks took their first lead of the second half at 38-17 when Hazekamp split a pair of free throws with 3:32 remaining.

Junior Mitch Mascari buried a triple from the deep left wing with 3:12 to give the Bearcats a two-point lead. Minnesota State's Dylan Peeters drove for a tying layup with 2:50 left for the final tie of the game. Stirtz tallied Northwest's last bucket of the game with 2:18 to play. The play started as a near turnover, but Wes Dreamer recovered a loose ball and hit Stirtz for the layup. Neither team was able to score as the defensive plays ruled. Mascari gained a steal with 42.6 left to thwart a Maverick scoring opportunity. Isaiah Jackson missed the front end of a 1-and-1. Minnesota State missed two shots, but drew a foul with 5.6 left and Peeters missed the first, but made the second. Dreamer was fouled with 5.1 and also missed the front end of a 1-and-1. Minnesota State's Kyreese Willingham grabbed the rebound and raced up the floor and found Hazekamp near the elbow and he hit a learner at the buzzer for the win.