MARYVILLE, Missouri – The No. 1-ranked Northwest Missouri State University men’s basketball team inched closer to its sixth straight MIAA regular season title with an 84-61 win over visiting Southwest Baptist University Saturday in Bearcat Arena.

Northwest shot 53.1 percent from the field and drained 13 three-pointers to extend the nation’s longest active win streak to 25 in a row. Southwest Baptist shot 43.4 percent from the field and only 29.4 percent from beyond the three-point arc. SBU drops to 12-12 overall and 6-9 in MIAA play.

Redshirt freshmen Trevor Hudgins reached the 20-point mark for the 14th time this season as he drained a career-high four three-pointers. Sophomore Ryan Hawkins chipped in with 15 points and sank 3-of-7 from three-point range to go along with four steals. Junior Brett Dougherty came off the bench to score a season-high 12 points on 6-of-8 shooting in 16 minutes of action. A trio of Bearcats dished out five assists as Diego Bernard, Xavier Rhodes and Joey Witthus helped others get in scoring column.

Northwest used a 17-4 run to turn a 23-19 game into a 40-23 advantage with 1:23 left in the half. Northwest would lead 40-26 at the break.

Northwest put together a 13-0 spurt early in the second half to a 47-32 contest into a commanding 60-32 lead. Northwest would lead by as many as 33 en route to its 11th consecutive win over SBU.

Northwest can lock up a share of its sixth straight MIAA title on Thursday against Central Missouri. Tip is set for 7:30 p.m. in Warrensburg, Missouri.

NOTES: Northwest has won 20 consecutive MIAA games, which is also the longest active current streak in NCAA Div. II basketball for conference games … Northwest is 13-0 at home … Northwest is 87-5 overall in the past three seasons … Northwest is 77-7 in its last 84 MIAA games, including a mark of 41-1 in Bearcat Arena … Northwest has won 16 straight games by double figures.

— Northwest Athletics —