Northwest Missouri State men’s basketball team took a double-digit lead into halftime and maintained it most of the second half.

But Northwest’s 70-59 victory over Lindenwood Wednesday evening at Bearcat Arena wasn’t as easy as the sizeable lead made it look.

For a team that entered the late-season road game with a losing record, Lindenwood played hard throughout and made Northwest work for its 19th victory.

The win helped Northwest stay in first place in the MIAA. With three regular-season games left, Northwest heads into Saturday’s contest at Missouri Western with a 19-6 overall record and 14-2 in the MIAA.

“We have a tough road game on Saturday,” said senior Dillon Starzl, who finished with 13 points. “We just have to come out and attack each game with the mentality that we are going to be more aggressive and fight in each possession against every team.”

The Lions gave themselves a brief bit of upset hope when they started the second half with a three-pointer, closing to 31-24.

Northwest scored the next five points and held a double-digit lead until 1 minute remained in the game.

It was a workmanlike effort that was impressive in its efficiency by the Bearcats. Northwest played great defense and fundamental, inside-outside offense.

For example, midway through the second half, Matt Wallace passed the ball inside to Starzl, who powered through for a layup, giving Northwest a 45-31 lead.

“At halftime, he (Northwest coach Ben McCollum) said I wasn’t being aggressive enough,” Starzl said. “He said I needed to act like the player I am and stop being passive and go to the hole and score.

“It worked a little better in the second half. I should get that mindset at the start of the game.”

Several possessions later, Bryston Williams dumped the ball inside to Starzl, who again went up strong for a field goal in the paint, making it 59-35.

Those inside buckets opened the outside for sophomore Conner Crooker, who knocked down three-pointers. One of them gave Northwest a 54-40 lead.

Crooker made four of five from three-point range, in part because Starzl and Grant Cozad combined to go 9 for 13 from the field, most of which came in the paint.

“We were getting more post touches for Dillon and they were doubling up and I was able to relocate and Dillon would find me,” Crooker said. “I was getting open shots.”

The Bearcats lead bloomed to 63-47, but Lindenwood kept playing hard and with a minute left, the Lions trailed 68-59.

After a somewhat sluggish start that saw Northwest give up the first six points in the game, the Bearcats finished the first half strong.

Freshman Zach Schneider drained back-to-back three-pointers in the final minute of the half, sending the Bearcats into halftime with a 31-21 lead.

“That was key for us because we were struggling in the first half,” Starzl said. “Zach hit two big threes at the end of the first half and that really got us going into halftime.

“We knew coach Mac was mad at us already so it helped us a little bit, but we got to come out more aggressive.”

Lindenwood put a smidgen of a scare into the Bearcats when it led 8-3 early on. Northwest immediately went on an 11-0 run to quickly bring order to the game.

But Lions refused to let Northwest to roll on by them. They stayed close, facing small deficits of 19-17 and 21-19.

Bearcat defense is what tamed the Lions. Northwest allowed only seven Lindenwood field goals in the first half.

Northwest will head to Missouri Western for a 1:30 p.m. game on Saturday against the Griffons. The first 100 Northwest students who show their Bearcat card at the Missouri Western ticket office will receive FREE admission to the game. Students arriving after the 100 tickets are given out can purchase tickets for $5 each.

— Northwest Sports Information —

After a valiant effort to overcome a nine-point deficit with 5:49 left in the game, Northwest Missouri State women’s basketball team failed to ride its momentum into overtime.

For the second straight game, the Bearcats lost in overtime. Lindenwood avenged a loss to Northwest a few weeks ago and won 79-74 in overtime at Bearcat Arena.

Northwest was playing without freshman starting center Shelby Mustain, who was out with the flu.

“We didn’t lose because we were without Shelby,” Northwest coach Michael Smith said. “We lost because Lindenwood gave more effort than we did.

“We settled too much for threes. We talked about it at halftime, and obviously, it went in one ear and out the other. We had kids who were trying to be superstars when they should not have been.

“We had some really bad mishaps at crucial times. The sad thing is that has been the story of our season.”

The loss dropped Northwest to 9-14 overall and 6-10 in the MIAA. Lindenwood improved to 13-11 and 8-9. Northwest and the Lions are fighting for a home game in the first round of the playoffs.

“There was a little pressure in this game and there should be,” Smith said. “I want players who can handle the tightness of a game. They knew Lindenwood was one game ahead of us.”

The Bearcats will try to bounce back Saturday at Missouri Western.

“There’s a lot riding on these games,” said Northwest junior Annie Mathews, who finished with 20 points and six rebounds. “Coach told us after the game we are under some pressure. We have to step up and handle it. Winning this game would have put us in better position.”

Both teams played with the tenacity that something important was at stake.

It appeared Lindenwood was in control when Jenny Rocha completed a three-point play that gave the Lions a 54-45 lead.

In less than 2 minutes, Northwest closed to 54-52 with 4:18 left. With 52 seconds left, Northwest took a 58-57 lead on a basket by Mathews.

Seven seconds later, Lindenwood went back in front by one. The Lions later added a free throw for a 60-58 lead.

But with 28 seconds left, Ashleigh Nelson tied the game for Northwest. The Bearcats played solid defense, preventing Lindenwood from getting a good shot off.

Northwest started overtime well. Tember Schechinger drove to the basket for a layup, giving the Bearcats a 62-60.

The Bearcats were then struck by the first of two three-point daggers by Morgan Johnson. Johnson, who was 1 for 8 from three-point range in regulation, found her shot in overtime.

Her first three-pointer in overtime gave Lindenwood a 63-62 lead and her second one put the Lions ahead 68-64.

“Overtime is another quarter,” said Northwest guard Ariel Easton. “You have different players step up and do good things.”

It was a tough loss for the Bearcats. A big reason Northwest managed to force overtime was because it turned the ball over just six times and forced 21 turnovers.

“I personally feel it comes down to effort,” said Ariel Easton. “One lapse on the court and that is the difference right there. We had some possessions where we steal the ball and then when we come back down, we have to have the same intensity.”

Mathews and Easton agreed that the Bearcats did not consistently play good defense. Lindenwood shot a blistering 57 percent from the field.

“Our defense just wasn’t there tonight,” Mathews said. “We should not have given up that many points.

“We have played really good defense the past couple of games. That has what has helped us get the results we have been getting. We didn’t execute our defense well tonight.”

After a great start, Northwest sputtered in the latter portion of the first half and went into halftime down 26-25.

The Bearcats scored the first seven points and quickly built a 10-2 lead on a three-pointer by Ariel Easton. It was the second three-pointer by the Bearcats in the opening minutes.

“We came out strong, but knowing we beat them before, we can’t be content with that,” Mathews said. “That could have been the case tonight.”

Northwest got a bit too enamored with the long-range bombs. The Bearcats kept firing, but the balls stopped dropping through the nets.

By midway through the first half, Northwest held a slim 12-11 lead. The Bearcats managed to stay ahead or tie until late in the first half when Jenny Rocha scored two of her eight, first-half points. Her third basket in a 2-minute stretch put the Lions ahead 21-20.

Lindenwood increased its lead to 24-20 before Northwest finished the half, scoring five of the last seven points.

Northwest made just four of 15 from three-point range.

On the bright side, Northwest committed only three turnovers while forcing 12. It allowed the Bearcats to take 10 more shots in the first half.

Northwest will head to Missouri Western for a 1:30 p.m. game on Saturday against the Griffons. The first 100 Northwest students who show their Bearcat card at the Missouri Western ticket office will receive FREE admission to the game. Students arriving after the 100 tickets are given out can purchase tickets for $5 each.

— Northwest Sports Information —