TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northwest Missouri State University men's basketball team used a balanced attack to land an 81-74 road victory over the Northeastern State University RiverHawks at the NSU Events Center.
 
The matchup featured 13 ties and 11 lead changes. Northwest shot 48.4% from the floor for its fifth-best shooting percentage in a game this season. Northwest outscored NSU in the paint, 48-28. The Bearcat bench also outdid the Riverhawk bench by a count of 23-6.
 
The Bearcats had four players in double-figure scoring and tallied a pair of double-doubles from Jack Ratigan and Byron Alexander. It is the first time the Bearcats have had two double-doubles in the same game since the 2021 NCAA Div. II national title game when Wes Dreamer and Ryan Hawkins each doubled up.
 
Ratigan tied two career-highs with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Ratigan went 8-of-9 from the floor. Ratigan also tallied three blocked shots and two assists. It was Ratigan's second career double-double.
 
Alexander gained his third career double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
 
Ja'Vion Byers totaled 14 points and Luke Moustaskas also put up 14 points to help the Bearcats to their fourth road win of the season.
 
The Bearcats snapped a 10-game losing streak as they kept up their mastery of the RiverHawks. Northwest has won 18 straight matchups against Northeastern State and is 17-0 against NSU since they joined the MIAA.
 
Northwest is 5-20 overall and 3-13 in MIAA play. NSU is 14-11 overall and 8-8 in league play.

"It certainly came together tonight," head coach Matt Keeley said. "It was one that we earned. We did it collectively with energy and great spirit. We put a lot of pressure on the rim in transition."
 
Northwest drew even with Northeastern State at 22-22 after spotting the RiverHawks an early eight-point advantage. Trey Moala's conventional three-point play tied the contest at 22 with 8:52 left in the first half. Moala gave the Bearcats their first lead of the game at 37-36 with 3:13 remaining in the half. Jack Ratigan threw down an alley-oop dunk for a two-point lead at 41-39 with :49 ticks left before intermission.
 
Northwest held a 42-41 lead at the break. Ratigan produced eight points, nine rebounds, two blocks and an assist in the opening 20 minutes. The RiverHawks buried seven first-half three-pointers and benefited from an 18-point half from Trey Phipps.
 
The RiverHawks built a 64-57 lead with 10:08 to play in the contest. However, the Bearcats put on a defensive show in the final 10 minutes limiting the RiverHawks to only three made field goals. NSU did not make a field goal for a 6:20 stretch which allowed the Bearcats to turn the seven-point deficit into a seven-point lead. Northwest used a 21-7 run to take a 78-71 advantage with 1:12 to play in the game.
 
Northwest will travel to Fort Smith, Ark., to take on the Arkansas-Fort Smith Lions Saturday at 3 p.m. It will be the first matchup between the two schools on the hardwood.
 
NOTES: Northwest led at halftime for the seventh time this season … Northwest is 4-3 when leading at the half … Emorie Knox dished out a game-high nine assists … it was the sixth game this season the Bearcats have committed nine or fewer turnovers … the Bearcats blocked six shots … Northwest collected 10 offensive rebounds and won the rebounding battle, 43-32.