Dec. 18, 2007
Bearcats Beat Central Oklahoma 84-77 in Battle of Top 25 Teams
SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Lance Sullivan scored a season-high 23 points in leading the No. 13 Northwest Missouri State men's basketball team to a 84-77 victory against No. 21 Central Oklahoma in the second day of the River City Classic in San Antonio, Texas.
Head coach Steve Tappmeyer moved into sole possession of third place in MIAA career coaching wins, winning for the 380th time today.
The lead changed hands 21 times and the score was tied 11 times in a battle of top 25 teams in Division II.
The Bearcats started the game with a 9-2 run, started by a three-pointer from Eddie Gray. A 10-0 run to close out the second half brought Northwest back from a 38-34 deficit to lead 44-34 at the break.
The Bronchos came out of halftime with a 10-2 run, after failing to score a field goal in the last five minutes of the first half.
Sophomore Mike Larsen hit a three-pointer with just under three minutes remaining to provide the first Bearcat lead in over four minutes, and Northwest preserved the lead to a 84-77 victory.
Sullivan led a trio of Bearcats scoring in double figures with 23, including 15 in the first 20 minutes. Mose Howard reached 15 points and Andrais Thornton scored 11 points, reaching double-digits for the second time in the last three games. Thornton led Northwest with seven rebounds.
Northwest (8-1) will wait two weeks before seeing action again. The Bearcats host Southwest Baptist on Jan. 2 to begin the MIAA season, with a 7:30 p.m. tip off from Bearcat Arena.
Individual Notes
- Lance Sullivan has scored in double figures in four of his last five games. He scored 15 in the first half, his best single-half performance this season.
- Previous bests: 13 in first half vs. Nebraska-Omaha Dec. 1 and 13 in second half vs. Southern Indiana Nov. 24.
- Tied his best performance in a single half in his career - Scored 15 in first half vs. Pittsburg State March 10, 2007 in NCAA First Round.
- Sullivan set a new season-high in his past two games, scoring 21 today. He scored 18 points yesterday vs. Ouachita Baptist.
- Fourth career 20-point game (First since scoring 24 against Central Missouri Feb. 3, 2007).
- John Hawkins tied his season-high with five points.
- Mose Howard recorded a season-high four assists.
Team Notes
- Central Oklahoma is the third nationally ranked team for Northwest this season. It's the third win for the Bearcats over a nationally ranked opponent.
- Northwest holds a 5-1 advantage against the Bronchos in the all-time series, winning the last three contests.
- Northwest shot 46.2-percent on 3-point field goals, the best this season.
- Best percentage since March 10 vs. Pittsburg State in the NCAA Tournament (53.8%)
- Northwest has won the last 26 games when leading at halftime.
- Northwest has won the last 21 games when scoring more than 70 points.
- Northwest has won the last 15 games when scoring more than 80 points.
- Northwest went on a 10-2 run near the end of the game to go up 76-71.
- Four Bearcats are averaging double figures against nationally ranked opponents.
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