Box Score ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - For 20 minutes, the Missouri Western men's basketball team went toe-to-toe with the #4 ranked team in the NCAA Division II nation.

But it's a 40-minute game and Northwest Missouri imposed its will, pulling away for an 84-61 victory in front of a sell-out crowd in the Fieldhouse on Saturday night. 

JaRon Thames scored 20 of his career-high 27 points (9-12 FG) in the first half to help the Griffons keep pace and go to halftime trailing 35-32. Northwest then opened the half on a 10-3 run to spread its lead to 10 at the 14-minute mark of the second half. Western hung around, and a JaQuaylon Mays lay-up with 6:31 to play cut the Bearcat lead to single digits. NWMSU then answered with a 14-0 run in a two minute span to put the game out of reach for good.  

Mays finished with 15 points (6-14 FG), while freshman Taye Fields added 11 points and 7 rebounds.  

With the win, the Bearcats improve to 21-2 overall and 14-1 in The MIAA. The Griffons fall to 9-12 and 5-8 in conference play.