HAYS, Kansas – The No. 2-ranked Northwest Missouri State University men’s basketball team scored a 81-69 victory at Fort Hays State on Saturday at Gross Memorial Coliseum.

Northwest’s victory improved the Bearcats to 19-0 on the season and a perfect 9-0 in MIAA play. Fort Hays State fell to 13-6 overall and 5-3 in league play.

Redshirt freshman Trevor Hudgins notched his first career 30-point game as he tallied 30 points on 10-of-15 shooting from the floor. Hudgins knocked in all seven of his free throw attempts, while dishing out a team-high six assists.

The Bearcats made their first five shots from three-point land and overcame an early five-point deficit. The 11-6 lead for Fort Hays State marked the largest deficit that Northwest had faced since being down five to Upper Iowa on Nov. 9. Northwest responded immediately with a 13-0 run to take a 19-11 lead in the opening half. Northwest held its largest lead of the first half at 30-20 with 7:22 remaining.

Senior Joey Witthus and Hudgins carried the offensive load in the first half as they combined to put up 35 points and equal the FHSU offensive input as Northwest held a 42-35 lead at the intermission. Witthus scored 19 first-half points, while Hudgins chipped in with 16. Witthus buried his first five three-point attempts in the contest.

Freshman Diego Bernard scored all 13 of his points in the final 8:07 of the game to help the Bearcats remain perfect on the road this season.

Witthus battled foul trouble in the second half and finished with 24 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the floor, including all six makes from three-point land.

Northwest will play host to Pittsburg State on Thursday. Tip is set for 7:30 p.m. in Bearcat Arena.

NOTES: It marks the eighth straight win for Northwest over FHSU in the all-time series … the Bearcats own a 15-10 lead in the all-time series vs. the Tigers … Northwest has won 14 consecutive MIAA contests dating back to last season … Northwest also extended its road win streak to 10 in a row … the Bearcats are 71-7 in their last 78 MIAA games.

— Northwest Athletics —