Missouri Western re-enters Top-25, Northwest falls 10 spots

By Calvin Silvers

This previous weekend, MWSU Fieldhouse inside the Looney Complex was rocking as the Northwest Missouri state Bearcats came into town, and both the Missouri Western Griffon men and women came away with victories.

Besides beating the Bearcats for the first time since 2013, there was more celebration to be had on Tuesday for the men, with the release of the NABC poll. For the second time this season, Griffon men’s basketball is nationally ranked, coming in at No. 25 in the latest poll.

This is the seventh time Missouri Western has received a top-25 nod in the Will Martin era, last time being placed at No. 22 earlier this season on Dec. 5, 2023. The Griffons who are 12-3 overall and 6-3 in MIAA play stay at home this week and look to add onto their four-game winning streak, the longest active in the conference..

Missouri Western will play the Newman Jets this Thursday and Central Oklahoma later this Saturday. The last time the Griffons tangoed with the Jets was last season, where they fell 70-66, and lost to Central Oklahoma 65-54 last January.

As for Northwest Missouri State, the loss will drop the men from a No.14-ranking down to the 24th spot, where they are currently 11-4 overall and 7-2 in MIAA play. Northwest returns to Bearcat Arena to take on Central Oklahoma Thursday and the Newman Jets Saturday.

Northwest holds an 18-5 lead in the all-time series with the Bronchos. The two teams met three times last season with Northwest winning two of three, including a 61-53 victory in the MIAA Tournament championship contest.

As for Saturday’s contest, Northwest is 4-1 all-time against Newman, and the Bearcats are 4-0 vs. the Jets since they joined the MIAA.