Jan 26, 2020

Second-ranked Bearcats too much for Tiger men

Posted Jan 26, 2020 12:00 AM

MARYVILLE, Mo. – No. 2 Northwest Missouri State shot 61-percent in the first half including 10-of-19 from 3-point range to build a 28-point halftime lead and beat Fort Hays State 83-57 Saturday afternoon at Bearcat Arena.

It ties the Tigers (7-11, 1-9 MIAA) worst loss to the Bearcats (18-1, 8-1 MIAA) matching a 26-point setback in 2007. The Bearcats have won 10 straight and 56 of their last 57 games and ran their home winning streak to 28 games, the second longest current streak in Division II.

The Tigers got off to a good start. Calvin Harrington, who made his first start of the season, hit a 3-pointer to tie the game 5-5 then Jared Vitztum scored near the rim to pull FHSU with 13-11 at the first media timeout but Northwest scored the next 11 points and were never threatened again.

FHSU outscored NWMSU 38-36 in the second half, but the first half damage was too much to overcome. The Tigers brought the Bearcat lead down to 21 by opening the second half on a 12-5 run, but that was as close as they could get after halftime. The Tigers shot 53.8 percent from the field and 60 percent beyond the 3-point line after the break.

Alvin Thompson scored 10 of his team-high 12 points in the second half. Jared Vitztum added 11 along with a team-high seven rebounds.

Sophomore Trevor Hudgins recorded a triple-doublefor Northwest scoring 10 points along with a career-high 11 rebounds and 11 assists.