Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney men's basketball team begins a two-week, three-game road trip with a tough battle at No. 2 and defending national champion Northwest Missouri State Thursday night.

The Lopers (12-5, 6-2) have won eight of its last night to vault into third place in the MIAA standings, right behind nationally-ranked Missouri Southern State and the Bearcats (16-1, 6-1). On Saturday afternoon UNK heads over to St. Joseph to face the Griffons (7-11, 3-4). Check the men's basketball schedule page for tip times and media links.

Northwest is on an eight-game winning streak to push its mark to 116-6 (55-2 at home) since the start of the 2017-18 season. One of those six setbacks came to the Lopers two years ago, 66-59, in the Health & Sports Center. 

This Bearcat team is led by the three-headed monster of 6-7 junior forward Ryan Hawkins (22.6 points, 6.9 rebounds & 2.2 steals per game), 6-0 redshirt sophomore guard Trevor Hudgins (18.7 points, 6.0 assists, 2.9 rebounds & 1.7 steals pg), and 6-0 sophomore guard Diego Bernard (14.8 points, 6.9 rebounds & 3.6 assists pg).
 
Hudgins, the reigning MIAA Freshman of the Year, already has reached the 1,000-career point mark and is shooting 53% (48 of 90) from the 3-point line, Hawkins has had two 40-point efforts this year and Bernard has a team-high 104 defensive rebounds. As a team NW leads the MIAA in both field goal percentage (51.7) and scoring defense (62.0).

UNK is 1-8 all-time vs. Northwest, dropping last year's contest at home by an 85-57 margin.
 
Mo West is on a three-game losing streak but also is 5-0 in St. Joe to date. They host Fort Hays State (7-9, 1-7) Thursday night. The Griffons lead the MIAA in blocks (4.2) and is second in offensive rebounds (11.1) but also are first in opponent free throw attempts (19.3 per game). They've had 15 foul outs and average 20 fouls a night.
 
Averaging a healthy 75 points per game, Mo West is led by 5-11 sophomore guard Tyrell Carroll (17.8) and 6-0 junior wing Tyus Millhollin (15.8). A Millard South grad, Carroll shoots 48% from the field and also has a team-best 95 assists with JUCO transfer Millhollin at a team-best 56 made threes.
 
UNK dropped last year's game at home, 83-79, but still leads the all-time series 19-15.
 
Currently leading the conference in both assists (16.9) and steals (7.8) per game, the Lopers are playing its best basketball since early in the 2016-17 season when that squad won eight of nine en route to a 20-10 season.
 
Having a 9-1 home mark and a solid 3-3 record in true road games, UNK has a + 5.7 scoring margin, a +3.5 turnover margin, and just a -0.9 rebounding margin despite being out sized nearly every time it takes the court.
 
Individually Bellevue senior forward AJ Jackson leads the MIAA in field goal percentage (61.2) with senior forward Morgan Soucie in the league's top 12 in five different categories. That includes scoring (16.1) and assists (3.0). Finally Utah junior Jake Walker is among the conference 3-point leaders (45 makes; 37.2 pct.).
 
The Lopers have just one game next week, a road tilt at five Hays on Saturday.