Tuesday, Dec. 2 | 7:30 p.m. (CT) | MWSU Fieldhouse | St. Joseph, Mo.
Northwest Missouri State at Missouri Western
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Thursday, Dec. 4 | 7:30 p.m. (CT) | Bearcat Arena | Maryville, Mo.
Emporia State vs. Northwest Missouri State
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BEARCATS BEGIN MIAA PLAY AT MOWEST, HOME VS ESU
The Northwest Missouri State University men's basketball team (6-2 overall) will open MIAA play this week on the road at Missouri Western Tuesday and back home at Bearcat Arena Thursday against Emporia State.

ALL-TIME VS. MO WEST
Northwest holds a 67-38 lead in the all-time series vs. Missouri Western.
    The Griffons have won three straight in the series for the first time in 26 years.
    Northwest has not lost three consecutive games against Missouri Western since the Griffons won four in a row from Feb. 21, 1998 to Feb. 20, 1999.

ALL-TIME VS. EMPORIA STATE
Northwest owns a 52-28 lead in the all-time series with Emporia State.
    Northwest has won five of the last six meetings against the Hornets.

NORTHWEST MATCHES WIN TOTAL FROM LAST YEAR
Through only eight games this season, the Bearcat men's basketball team has equaled its win total from last year (6-22). The Bearcats are 6-2 this season having won six of their last seven games.
    Northwest is 2-0 at home this season after going 0-10 in Bearcat Arena in 2024-25.

DEFENDING 3-POINT ARC
Northwest ranks No. 3 in the MIAA in three-point field goal defense. The Bearcats are allowing teams to make 26.3% of their three-point attempts.
    Five of Northwest's eight opponents have shot 27.0% or less this season from beyond the arc.

NORTHWEST WINS REBOUND BATTLE IN BLOWOUT OF YORK
Northwest won the rebounding battle for the first time this season in a 97-59 win over York. The Bearcats out-rebounded the Panthers, 53-32.

GARCIA NETS CAREER-HIGH
Freshman Robert Garcia put up a career-high 17 points in Northwest's 97-59 win over York. Garcia was 6-of-8 from the field and buried a trio of three-pointers.
    He was part of a Bearcat bench that netted 44 points against York.

GAIR ADDS SCORING FLAIR
Senior Aiden Gair leads the team in scoring (13.8 ppg), assists (30) and three-pointers made (22).
    Gair has sank 117 three pointers in his NCAA collegiate career with 95 made triples at Millersville.
    He also ranks No. 11 in the country in three-pointers made (22).
    Gair ranks third in the MIAA in three-pointers made with 22, trailing Central Missouri's Jevon Hill (33) and Washburn's Jack Bachelor (26).
    Gair ranks No. 43 in the nation with 30 assists.

MAYES IS A SCORING BOOST
Senior Matthew Mayes is second on the team in scoring (12.9 ppg).
    Mayes is shooting 54.8% from the floor having drained 34-of-62 shots.
    Mayes came off the bench in the first four games and has been in the starting lineup in each of the last three contests.

ROYCE ROLLS UP NUMBERS
Senior guard Royce Williams ranks third on the team in scoring (12.1 ppg). He is tied for the team lead in rebounding (5.4 rpg) and in steals (14).
    Williams is 18-of-19 (94.7%) at the free throw line and has made 16 consecutive free throws entering Tuesday's game at Missouri Western.     

SCORING NOTES
Freshman Robert Garcia netted a career-high 17 points in a win over York prior to Thanksgiving. It is Garcia's second double-figure scoring game this season.
    Senior Aiden Gair secured his 30th career double-figure scoring game with a team-high 19 points in a 97-59 triumph over York.
    Senior Matthew Mayes put up 13 points in the win over York to give him 24 career double-figure scoring games.
    Junior Trey Moala has registered back-to-back double-figure scoring games with 10 points vs. Northern Michigan and 10 points vs. York. Moala has registered nine career double-figure scoring games as a Bearcat.

Career Double-Figure Scoring Games
Aiden Gair - 30
Matthew Mayes - 24
Royce Williams - 19
Jack Ratigan - 11
Trey Moala - 9
Robert Garcia - 2
Gob Gob - 2
Presley Ibeh - 1

Career 20-Point Scoring Games
Aiden Gair - 5
Royce Williams - 3
Matthew Mayes - 1

Career 30-Point Scoring Games
Aiden Gair - 1

ACTIVE DOUBLE-DOUBLES LIST
Junior Jack Ratigan owns Northwest's only active career double-doubles entering the season.

Career Double-Doubles
Jack Ratigan - 2

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE IN BEARCAT ARENA
Since the start of the 2011-12 season, Northwest has compiled a home mark of 178-24, including a tally of 120-19 in MIAA play.
    Since Jan. 14, 2015, Northwest has compiled a home record of 133-17. In that same stretch, Northwest is 96-13 in home MIAA contests.

Year        Record (MIAA Games)
2011-12    12-1 (9-1)
2012-13    12-3 (6-3)
2013-14    12-1 (9-1)
2014-15    13-2 (8-1)
2015-16    13-0 (11-0)
2016-17    18-0 (10-0)
2017-18    12-2 (8-1)
2018-19    17-0 (9-0)
2019-20    16-0 (10-0)
2020-21    12-2 (10-1)
2021-22    12-2 (9-2)
2022-23    15-1 (11-0)
2023-24    12-0 (11-0)
2024-25    0-10 (0-9)
2025-26    2-0 (0-0)

FOUR RETURNERS
The Bearcat roster features four players returning from last year's squad that went 6-22.
    Juniors Jack Ratigan and Trey Moala are the only two returnees who saw action last season.
    Larenz Walters and Presley Ibeh were on the squad last season but redshirted and did not see any action.
    
TRANSFER PORTAL
Northwest added six NCAA Div. I or Div. II transfers for this year's roster.
    Gob Gob is a Div. I transfer from UMKC. Gob played 19 games and scored 57 points for the Roos. Gob tallied a 16-point output vs. Oral Roberts (Feb. 1, 2025).
    Aiden Gair is a Div. II transfer from Millersville in Pennsylvania. Gair started 30 games and averaged 14.4 points for the Marauders. Gair buried 95 three-pointers to rank No. 17 in the nation.
    Matthew Mayes is a Div. II transfer from Henderson State. Mayes played in 28 games and made 21 starts for the Reddies. Mayes averaged 11.3 points per game. He dished out 77 assists and tallied 70 steals. Mayes ranked No. 17 in the nation in steals in 2024-25.
    Royce Williams is a Div. II transfer from Southern New Hampshire. Williams played three seasons for SNHU and saw action in 69 games with 15 starts. He averaged 9.3 points per game in 2024-25. He shot 46.6% from the floor and grabbed 83 rebounds. Williams played in the 2025 NCAA Tournament for SNHU.
    Osa Obasohan is a Div. I transfer from Hawaii. Obasohan played in 10 games for the Rainbow Warriors and scored six points. He played in a French under-21 league in 2023-24.
    Jack Webb is a Div. I transfer from Central Michigan. Webb last played for the Chippewas in the 2021-22 season. He played in 29 games and scored 13 points for the Chippewas in the Mid-American Conference.

35-9 VS. RANKED OPPONENTS SINCE 2015-16
Northwest is 35-9 vs. rank opponents since the 2015-16 season. Northwest went 0-3 last season against foes ranked in the NABC Top 25.

Bearcats vs. NABC Ranked Foes (Since 2016)
L, 80-69 vs. No. 1 Washburn (1/22/25)
L, 96-66 at No. 2 Washburn (1/11/25)
L, 68-56 vs. No. 18 Southwest Minnesota State (11/23/24)
L, 43-42 at No. 2 Minnesota State (3/19/24)
W, 71-62 vs. No. 10 Minnesota-Duluth (3/17/24)
W, 64-61 (2OT) vs. No. 24 Fort Hays State (2/3/24)
W, 63-59 vs. No. 15 Emporia State (12/16/23)
W, 65-47 vs. No. 21 Northern State (11/10/23)
L, 61-57 vs. No. 15 Southern Nazarene (3/12/23)
W, 61-53 vs. No. 12 Central Oklahoma (3/5/23)
W, 65-51 vs. No. 7 Central Oklahoma (2/23/23)
L, 69-58 at No. 7 Central Oklahoma (1/12/23)
L, 74-65  at No. 22 Emporia State (12/17/22)
W, 78-62 vs. No. 5 West Texas A&M (11/5/22)
W, 67-58 vs. No. 5 Augusta (3/26/22)
W, 70-57 vs. No. 22 Black Hills State (3/24/22)
W, 61-43 vs. No. 14 Bentley (3/22/22)
W, 70-56 at No. 5 Augustana (3/15/22)
W, 53-50 vs. No. 21 Fort Hays State (3/5/22)
W, 57-49 vs. No. 18 Fort Hays State (2/2722)
L, 76-75 (OT) at No. 18 Central Oklahoma (1/20/22)
W, 64-59 vs. No. 21 Seattle Pacific (11/7/21)
W, 68-55 vs. No. 15 Northern State (11/6/21)
W, 80-54 vs. No. 5 West Texas A&M (3/27/21)
W, 77-46 vs. No. 8 Flagler (3/25/21)
W, 98-77 vs. No. 18 West Liberty (3/24/21)
W, 91-86 (OT) at No. 2 Northern State (3/16/21)
W, 85-44 vs. No. 17 Washburn (3/14/21)
W, 88-85 (OT) at No. 15 Washburn (2/20/21)
W, 78-76 vs. No. 22 Missouri Southern (3/8/20)
W, 77-76 vs. No. 17 Missouri Southern (2/20/20)
W, 96-75 at No. 14 Missouri Southern (2/13/20)
W, 100-88 vs. No. 9 Southern Nazarene (11/2/19)
W, 85-65 vs. No. 22 Daemen (11/1/19)
W, 64-58 vs. No. 6 Point Loma (3/30/19)
W, 76-53 vs. No. 20 Saint Anselm (3/28/19)
W, 70-59 vs. No. 13 Southern Nazarene (3/17/19)
W, 100-86 vs. No. 13 Ferris State (11/4/19)
W, 70-56 vs. No. 15 Lincoln Memorial (12/19/17)
W, 71-61 vs. No. 3 Fairmont State (3/25/17)
W, 79-67 vs. No. 15 Lincoln Memorial (3/23/17)
W, 55-52 vs. No. 18 Southwest Minnesota State (3/14/17)
W, 82-71 vs. No. 18 Augustana (11/17/16)
L, 80-78 at No. 1 Augustana (3/15/16)

MIAA PRESEASON POLLS
The Bearcats have been projected to finish 11th by the media and 14th by the coaches in the MIAA's preseason basketball polls.

2025-26 MIAA Coaches Poll
1. Washburn [13] – 169 points
2. Rogers State [1] – 141 points
3. Central Oklahoma – 137 points
4. Fort Hays State – 134 points
5. Pittsburg State – 127 points
6. Nebraska Kearney – 106 points
7. Central Missouri – 102 points
8. Missouri Western – 79 points
9. Northeastern State – 62 points
10. Emporia State – 59 points
11. Newman – 52 points
12. Arkansas-Fort Smith – 41 points
13. Missouri Southern – 35 points
14. Northwest Missouri State – 30 points
Coaches Are Not Allowed To Vote For Their Own Team

2025-26 MIAA Media Poll
1. Washburn [23] – 346 points
2. Fort Hays State [1] – 297 points
3. Rogers State [1] – 286 points
4. Pittsburg State – 280 points
5. Central Oklahoma – 229 points
6. Nebraska Kearney – 211 points
7. Central Missouri – 186 points
8. Missouri Western – 169 points
9. Emporia State – 159 points
10. Northeastern State – 132 points
11. Northwest Missouri State – 108 points
12. Newman – 93 points
13. Missouri Southern – 69 points
14. Arkansas-Fort Smith – 59 points