The Northwest Missouri State men’s basketball team erased a second-half deficit to beat the Nebraska-Kearney Lopers in overtime, 73-68, on Thursday evening at the Sports & Health Center in Kearney, Neb. The win moves Northwest to 9-5 overall and 4-1 in MIAA play. UNK drops to 4-8 overall and 2-5 in league action.

Bryston Williams led all scorers with 20 points, including going 4-for-6 from beyond the arc. Conner Crooker had 15 points followed by DeShaun Cooper with 14 and Dillon Starzl with 11. The Bearcats had 17 assists, led by Cooper with six dimes. Northwest shot 47.4 percent (27-for-57) from the field and hit eight free throws, six coming in the second half and overtime.

In the first half the two teams battled evenly, playing to a 30-28 halftime advantage for Northwest. Neither team was able to maintain any leads as the game was tied at seven different points in the first 20 minutes.

Down late in the second half, Williams hit a pair of big three pointers to bring the Bearcats back to even with UNK. The Lopers had a chance to take the last shot of regulation but never got a shot off as the Bearcat defense forced a turnover.

In overtime, Northwest never trailed, leading by as many as five on Williams’ fourth three pointer of the game. Free throws by Grand Cozad and Tyler Funk put the game out of reach as Northwest held on for the overtime victory.

The Bearcats head to Washburn on Saturday evening for a 7 p.m. contest in Topeka, Kan. Northwest will host Northeastern State on Monday, Jan. 13, at 7:30 p.m. in a make-up contest at Bearcat Arena. That game was originally scheduled for Jan. 6.

— Northwest Sports Information —