TOPEKA, Kansas – The No. 2-ranked Northwest Missouri State Bearcat men’s basketball team overcame a four-point deficit down the stretch and secured a 73-68 road win over the Washburn Ichabods on Saturday at Lee Arena.

Northwest’s victory improves the Bearcats to 15-1 overall and 5-1 in MIAA play, while Washburn falls to 8-6 overall and 3-2 in league action.

Junior Ryan Hawkins put the ‘Cats on his shoulders with a 32-point scoring barrage on only 18 shots from the field. Hawkins was 11-of-18 shooting and was 3-of-7 from three-point range. Hawkins drained seven of his eight free throw attempts. Hawkins also did damage on the defensive end with five steals and four rebounds.

Even with Hawkins’s scoring heroics the Bearcats had to overcome a 62-58 Washburn lead with 5:58 to play. Freshman Luke Waters hit a pair of free throws to cut the lead to two with 5:21 to left. Diego Bernard evened the game at 62-62 on a driving layup but missed the ensuing free throw to leave it level.

Washburn’s Jalen Lewis sank three free throws after getting fouled by Northwest’s Trevor Hudgins with 3:57 to play that gave the Ichabods a 65-62 advantage.

Hawkins hit a left-handed layup to trim the lead to one with 3:38. Hawkins then drew a foul and sank two free throws to give the Bearcats the lead they would not relinquish with 2:33 on the clock.

Hudgins buried two free throws with 1:54 to play to put Northwest up 68-65. Bernard made two more at the charity stripe with 47 seconds left to put Northwest up five, 70-65.

After a Bernard turnover, Washburn’s Lewis knocked in a three-pointer with 23 ticks left to cut the Northwest lead to two at 70-68. Hudgins then made three of four at the line to close out the scoring and a Northwest win, 73-68.