ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — The Northwest Missouri State University men's basketball team edged past the University of Missouri-St. Louis, 82-79, on Saturday at the St. Joseph Civic Arena, with the Bearcats scoring 25 points off turnovers at the D2CCA Tip-Off Classic held at Civic Arena.

The Bearcats moved to 1-1, while the Tritons dipped to 0-1. Northwest led by as many as 20 points before UMSL rallied to take the lead, only to have the Bearcats hold off the Tritons for the three-point victory.

Northwest Mo. St. started the game with a strong offensive display, finishing the first half with a 48-33 lead over the Tritons. Aiden Gair's three-pointer at 9:54 sparked a scoring surge, while Matthew Mayes and Robert Garcia each contributed with crucial baskets, extending Northwest's advantage. Royce Williams capped the half with a jumper in the final seconds, highlighting Northwest's efficient shooting performance.

Northwest Missouri State capitalized on a strong start to the second half with Aiden Gair hitting a three-pointer assisted by Royce Williams just 13 seconds in. This was followed by a steal from Trey Moala, which led to a Jack Ratigan dunk, putting the home team ahead early. Despite a push from UMSL, including a strong outside shooting performance, Northwest Missouri State maintained their lead with contributions from Gair and Williams in the final minutes.

In a tense finish, Northwest Missouri State held off a late rally from the Tritons. Royce Williams scored a critical layup, and Aiden Gair secured the victory with a fast-break layup in the final seconds. UMSL attempted a pair of triples to tie the game in the final seconds but shots were off the mark sealing the first win of the season for Northwest.

Aiden Gair led the team with 19 points, shooting 7-for-14 from the field, and contributed five assists. Royce Williams added 17 points and was active defensively with five steals, while also securing six rebounds. Matthew Mayes chipped in with 12 points on 5-for-8 shooting and collected two steals. Jack Ratigan rounded out the effort with 10 points, converting all four of his free throw attempts, and pulled down five rebounds.

In their next game, Northwest Missouri State will face off against St. Cloud State on Friday, Nov. 14, at 4 p.m. CT in St. Joseph, Mo., at the Hillyard Tip-Off Classic.