MARYVILLE, Mo. - The Pittsburg State University Gorillas snapped a 17-game losing streak in games against Northwest Missouri State University with an 89-77 victory at Bearcat Arena.
 
Bearcat junior guard Ja'Vion Byers secured a career-high 23 points as he buried 8-of-15 shots from the floor. Byers sank a career-best four three-pointers, including three in a row in midst of a 24-0 run by the Bearcats the first half.

Northwest dipped to 4-20 overall and 2-13 in MIAA play. Pittsburg State improved to 15-9 overall and 11-4 in league action. Northwest has dropped 10 straight games for the first time since losing 11 straight in the 1974-75 and 1975-76 seasons.
 
Pittsburg State lit the net afire in Bearcat Arena by draining its first 11 field goal attempts. The Gorillas were up 25-10 with 13:57 to play after sinking its first 11 shots of the game. The Gorillas would eventually make 14-of-15 to begin the contest and take a 35-12 lead with 10:18 to play in the first half.
 
The Bearcats then mounted an incredible 24-0 run over the next seven minutes to give the home squad a 36-35 lead with 3:14 left in the opening half. The run included five three-pointers that featured four from Byers and one from Luke Moustakas. However, PSU would close the half on a 12-4 run to take a 47-40 advantage to the locker room. Byers notched 16 first-half points on 6-of-9 shooting.
 
The Gorillas did not relinquish the lead in the second half seemingly keeping the Bearcats at arms' length throughout the final 20 minutes. PSU went up 10 at 67-57 with 10:47 to play, but Northwest clawed back to within five at 67-62 on a three-pointer from Padraig Gallagher and a bucket from Emorie Knox. A Moustakas score with 8:50 to play trimmed the PSU lead back to five at 69-64.
 
The Gorillas upped the margin back to double figures at 12 with a 76-64 lead with 6:40 left in the second half. Jack Ratigan and Byers went on a 6-0 run to slice the margin back to six at 76-70 with 5:27 to play. PSU's Tanner Mans responded with eight points on three possessions to take the lead back to 86-72 with 2:30 left before the Gorillas finished off the Bearcats, 89-77.
 
The Bearcats will hit the road for the final time this season next week with games at Northeastern State (Thursday, 7:30 p.m.) and at Arkansas-Fort Smith (Saturday, 3:30 p.m.).

NOTES: Northwest leads the all-time series vs. Pittsburg State, 75-64 ... Northwest had won 15 consecutive games against Pittsburg State in Bearcat Arena entering Saturday's game ... PSU's last win at Bearcat Arena, prior to today, came in a 72-58 victory on Jan. 15, 2005 ... Luke Moustakas tallied his 17th career double-figure scoring game with 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the floor ... Jack Ratigan got his eighth career double-figure scoring game with 15 points and eight rebounds ... Ratigan was also 7-of-10 from the field ... Ratigan stuffed his stat sheet with five assists and four steals ... freshman guard Marcus Glock had his streak of 17 straight games with a made three-pointer snapped ... Glock went 0-of-3 from three-point land against the Gorillas ... Pittsburg State shot 64.7% from the field (33-of-51) and 57.1% from three-point range (12-of-21) ... Northwest shot 47.0% from the field (31-of-66) and 33.3% from three-point range (7-of-21) ... PSU won the rebounding battle, 29-26 ... Northwest posted a season-high 11 steals and tied a season-high by forcing PSU into 15 turnovers ... Northwest has tied a program record with 20 losses this season ... the 1964-65 team coached by Dick Buckridge went 2-20 to set the mark for most losses by a Bearcat men's basketball team ... Northwest has lost 13 MIAA games - the most since the Bearcats came up short 14 times in league play in the 2010-11 season under head coach Ben McCollum ... Northwest is 0-8 at home this season.