Men's Basketball | 3/2/2017 8:58:30 PM

Kansas City, Mo. – Top seeded Northwest Missouri held off a late charge from ninth seeded Lincoln in an 80-76 quarterfinal win.
 
Lincoln would use a late 11-3 run to cut the lead to as few as two points before a three-point play by NWMSU’s D’Vante Mosby pushed the lead back to four points. The Blue Tigers would answer though as Maurice Mason drained an off-balance three-pointer with 19 seconds to play to cut the lead back to two. Chris-Ebou Ndow would hit two free throws with 10 seconds to play to close the game out for the Bearcats.
 
For the Bearcats Justin Pitts led the way with 30 points and dished out a game high six assists. Chris-Ebou Ndow finished with 14 points and D’Vante Mosby added 11 points and a team best six rebounds.

For the Blue Tigers Jaylon Smith led the way with 17 points while Anthony Virdure and Richie Lewis each finished with 16 points. Maurice Mason added 10 points on the while on the glass Tacourrus Mattox added eight boards.

NWMSU will now face the winner of #4 Missouri Southern and #5 Fort Hays State in the second of two semifinals scheduled to start 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first semifinal from Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.