MARYVILLE, Missouri - The No. 1-ranked Northwest Missouri State University Bearcats rode the scoring efforts of Trevor Hudgins and Ryan Hawkins to a 96-49 triumph over the visiting Lincoln Blue Tigers on Saturday at Bearcat Arena.
Hudgins scored a career-high 36 points as he drained 7-of-10 from three-point, while Hawkins netted 23 points and 14 rebounds. Sophomore Diego Bernard also registered a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Northwest (22-1 overall, 12-1 MIAA) won for the 30th straight time in Bearcat Arena. It also marked the 11th straight victory over the Blue Tigers in the series. Lincoln falls to 8-14 overall and 5-8 in MIAA play.
The Bearcat three-point eruption began following an 8-8 deadlock through the game's first six minutes. Hudgins hit his first triple with 13:17 to play and Hawkins followed with his first from distance with 12:38 on the clock in the first half. Northwest would go on to make 6-of-9 three-pointers in the first half with Hudgins leading the way by making all five his triple attempts. The Bearcats led 48-28 at the break.
It took only three minutes into the second half to turn it into a 30-point bulge as Hawkins attacked the hoop for nine of Northwest's 12 points that gave the home squad a 60-30 lead. Hudgins continued to dazzle as well and he helped put one of the toppers on the victory with a four-point play with 12:15 to play in the contest. Wes Dreamer's three-pointer with 9:34 to play pushed the lead to 82-41. Dreamer's three-pointer capped a start to the second half that saw the Bearcats made seven of their first 11 three-point shots.
The Bearcats would lead by as many as 48 at 91-43 following a step-back triple from Bernard.
Northwest will hit the road for a pair of contests this week at Missouri Southern (Thursday, 7:30 p.m.) and at Pittsburg State (Saturday, 3:30 p.m.).
NOTES: Northwest has won 14 straight games overall ... Northwest has won 68 of its last 70 home games ... since the start of the 2011-12 season, Northwest has is 122-9 in Bearcat Arena ... Northwest is 12-0 at home this season ... over the last four seasons of MIAA play the Bearcats have posted a mark of 65-5 ... Hudgins has three career 30-point scoring games ... Northwest buried 14-of-27 three-pointers marking the fifth straight game that the Bearcats have made at least 10 three-pointers ... Northwest shot 53.8% from the field and 51.9% from three-point range ... Northwest won the rebounding battle, 44-24 ... Northwest made 12-of-13 free throws, while Lincoln was limited to 4-of-5 at the line.
--- Northwest Athletics ---
