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MARYVILLE

KXCV-KRNW


Local Sports

Jan. 20, 2018Game | Basketball

Northwest 72, Fort Hays State 67

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Despite playing without the reigning MIAA Player of the Year, Northwest Missouri State navigated its way through a tough road trip through Hays, KS with a 72-67 win.

The Bearcats (16-2, 8-2 MIAA) finished with five players scoring in double figures, and shot 65.7-percent from the field in the win.

The 'Cats were forced to play without leading-scorer Justin Pitts Saturday afternoon. Pitts was dealing with concussion symptoms after the loss at Nebraska Kearney Thursday. It's just the first game he's missed since his sophomore season, and only the sixth game he's missed in his four-year career which includes 107 games and 106 starts.

Northwest led Fort Hays by two with 7:32 remaining in the first half. The 'Cats promptly went on a 13-2 run to close the half with a 33-20 lead.

The Tigers got within four points of the Bearcats on three separate occasions in the second half, but could never get any closer.

Chris-Ebou Ndow led Northwest with 20 points and 14 rebounds, the tenth double-double of his career. The senior from Stavanger, Norway shared point guard duties with fellow senior Xavier Kurth in Pitts' absence. Kurth finished with 10 points and four rebounds in the win.

The 'Cats also received 15 points from Joey Witthus, 13 points and seven rebounds from Brett Dougherty, and 12 points from Ryan Welty in his first career start.

After playing four games in eight days, Northwest receives a week off before hosting Missouri Western on January 27. Game time is set for 3:30pm. Pregame on KXCV-KRNW will start at 3:10pm.