TAHLEQUAH – No. 6/4-ranked Northwest Missouri State rode a suffocating defensive performance to a 79-43 win over Northeastern State on Saturday afternoon inside the NSU Events Center.

NSU (10-12, 7-11 MIAA) is tied for ninth place in the conference standings with Missouri Western and Central Missouri with four games remaining in the regular season. Ten teams will advance to the MIAA postseason basketball tournament.

During its current nine-game winning streak, Northwest Missouri State (23-2, 16-2) has allowed opponents an average of 48.2 points per game. NSU, with only eight available players, lost its fifth straight game, shooting 40.5 percent from the field (17 of 42) and 11.8 percent (2 of 17) from 3-point range.

The point total was the second-lowest of the season for the RiverHawks, who scored 41 on Thursday in a loss to Missouri Western.

Northwest Missouri State, conversely, shot 63 percent from the field (29 of 46), including a sizzling 54.2 percent (13 of 24) from 3-point range. Wes Dreamer led the Bearcats with 22 points, his 13th career 20-point scoring game.

The Bearcats never trailed while running to a 41-21 halftime lead and NSU came no closer in the second half. Tristan Green led the RiverHawks with 10 points, while Anthony Allen added five points and a team-high seven rebounds. Northwest Missouri State posted a 26-17 rebounding advantage over NSU.

NSU will play its final two road games next week, on Wednesday at Newman (Kan.) and next Saturday at second-place Central Oklahoma. The RiverHawks' final two regular-season games will be at home against Lincoln (Mo.) on Feb. 23 and Central Missouri on Feb. 25.