JaRon Thames 2024 Northwest shot
AJ Robbins
Missouri Western is 8-1 at home and 7-0 at the MWSU Fieldhouse this season.
70
Northwest Mo. St. NMSU 11-4,7-2 Mid-America Intercollegiate
76
Winner Missouri Western MW 12-3,6-3 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Northwest Mo. St. NMSU
11-4,7-2 Mid-America Intercollegiate
70
Final
76
Missouri Western MW
12-3,6-3 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Northwest Mo. St. NMSU 32 38 70
Missouri Western MW 39 37 76

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | MWSU Media Relations

Griffon MBB beats No. 14 Bearcats, notches first W vs. Northwest since 2013

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Beating the Bearcats for the first time since 2013, Griffon Men's Basketball never trailed on the way to a 76-70 win over No. 14-ranked Northwest Missouri State at home Saturday at the MWSU Fieldhouse.

The Griffons (12-3, 6-3 MIAA) had four players score in double figures, led by JaRon Thames, who had 16 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Julius Dixon tacked on 14 points, Taye Fields helped out with 12 points and Zion Swader dropped 10.

Western did a great job disrupting Northwest (11-4, 7-2 MIAA) shots in the contest, coming away with five blocks. Kiani Saxon's career-high four rejections led the way individually for the Griffons.

HOW IT HAPPENED
After jumping out to a 7-5 advantage, Western went on a 9-0 run with 16:06 left in the first half to increase its lead to 16-5. The Griffons then lost some of that lead but still entered halftime with a 39-32 advantage.

Western kept its lead intact before going on a 5-0 run to grow the lead to 52-40 with 11:45 to go in the contest. The Bearcats narrowed the margin somewhat before the game was over, but an and-one bucket by Thames with 55 seconds left in the game helped MWSU cruise the rest of the way for the 76-70 win. The Griffons got out on the break in the period, scoring eight fast break points.

GAME NOTES

  • Saturday's Griffon win is MWSU's first over Northwest since Jan. 12, 2013, breaking a 24-game streak. 
  • Speaking of streaks, MWSU has now won four games in a row, the longest active streak in the MIAA.
  • Griffon Head Coach Will Martin is now 9-8 vs. top-25 teams since taking over for the program in 2020.
  • The Griffons are now third in the MIAA standings. Northwest remains in first place.
  • Western never trailed in the game, leading for all 40 minutes.
  • The Griffons were active in affecting shots on the defensive end, recording five blocks as a team.
  • Four Griffons scored in double figures. 
  • Western got a team-high eight rebounds from Thames.

UP NEXT
Western is back in action this Thursday vs. Newman (6-9. 3-7 MIAA) at 7:30 p.m. at the MWSU Fieldhouse in St. Joseph. Newman has lost four in a row, recently falling to Northeastern State 74-68 on Saturday in Wichita, Kansas. 

-30-

Print Friendly Version