BOONEVILLE - Last weekend marked the end of the fall semester for the Northwest men's basketball team, as the Rangers split a pair of contests in the Harvey Childers Classic, hosted by Northeast Mississippi Community College.
Missouri State-West Plains got the better of Northwest in the Friday evening contest, 86-55, but the Rangers managed to rebound with a 74-71 decision on Saturday against Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas.
Against Missouri State-West Plains, the Rangers took their largest lead of three points early in the opening minutes, but kept things close throughout the first half. The Grizzlies took a slim lead with roughly 14 minutes left before halftime, as Northwest cut the deficit several times to a single point. However, the Rangers were ultimately unable to gain the upper hand, as MSU-West Plains pulled away down the stretch for a 39-27 halftime lead.
MSU-West Plains gradually pulled away over the course of the second half, outscoring Northwest by a 47-28 margin in the final 20 minutes. The Grizzlies were helped by 27 points off the bench and 44 points in the paint, as the Rangers suffered the 31-point loss.
Northwest shot 34 percent from the floor, but finished 1-for-10 from three-point range in the second half. The Rangers were also 5-of-13 from the free throw line in the second half, finishing just 47 percent on the evening.
In contrast, MSU-West Plains finished the night shooting 49 percent from the floor and 33 percent from beyond the arc. The Grizzlies also made 75 percent of their free throws throughout the contest.
Tyler Spears scored 12 points for Northwest and added a team-high seven rebounds, while
Keanu Patrick totaled 16 points.
Dorian Booker was held to just six points, but added a team-best three blocks.
Four players reached double figures for the Grizzlies, led by 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists from Ergie Kougnami. Shunderrius Glass and Ryan Richardson also finished with 13 points apiece, while Lionel Kumwimba pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds.
In its second meeting this month against PCCUA, Northwest raced out to an 8-1 lead, only for the Ridge Runners to quickly close the gap. Aside from the early advantage from the Rangers, the game remained a back-and-forth affair the rest of the way, with both teams knotted up at 35-35 by the end of the first half.
Neither squad was able to pull away in the second half, as the Ridge Runners sought revenge against Northwest. In the end however, the Rangers were the better team in both shooting and rebounds, narrowly escaping with the three-point win.
Northwest finished 44 percent from the floor, improving from a 39 percent clip in the first half to a 50 percent average in the second half. The Rangers continued to struggle from three-point range, but finished 60 percent from the free throw line.
Northwest also out-muscled PCCUAÂ underneath the glass, earning 52 total rebounds, against the Ridge Runners' 45 boards. PCCUAÂ shot 34 percent on the afternoon, but allowed 46 points in the paint from the Rangers. Northwest also picked up 18 points off the bench.
Three players reached double figures for the Rangers, including
Tyler Shephard, who led all scorers with 21 points.
Colain Brown also provided 15 points on five rebounds and five assists, while Booker earned 13 points and nine boards, falling just shy of a double-double.
Jeremiah Aaron led PCCUA with 19 points and nine rebounds, followed by a 16-point effort from Charleston Wallace. Jaiden Brunson also contributed 13 points with nine boards for the Ridge Runners.
With the split, Northwest sits at 4-6 overall entering Christmas Break. The Rangers are scheduled to return to action on Thursday, January 9 for a non-conference tilt against East Mississippi. Tipoff is set for 7:30 P.M., with live broadcast coverage on Ranger TV and Action News 5 Plus.
