Northwest Missouri State Bearcats men's basketball

The Northwest Missouri State Bearcats men's basketball team represents Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri, in the NCAA Division II men's basketball competition. The team is currently coached by Matt Keeley, who has been at the helm since 2024.[2] The Bearcats currently compete, and are one of two founding members remaining, of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA).[3] The basketball team plays its home games in the Bearcat Arena on campus.[4]

Northwest Missouri State Bearcats men's basketball
UniversityNorthwest Missouri State University
First season1914
All-time record1,647–992 (.624)
Head coachMatt Keeley (1st season)
ConferenceThe MIAA
LocationMaryville, Missouri
ArenaBearcat Arena
(capacity: 2,500)
NicknameBearcats
ColorsBearcat green and white[1]
   
Uniforms
Home jersey
Team colours
Home
Away jersey
Team colours
Away


NCAA tournament champions
2017, 2019, 2021, 2022
NCAA tournament Final Four
2017, 2019, 2021, 2022
NCAA tournament Elite Eight
2002, 2004, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022
NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen
2002, 2004, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024
NCAA tournament round of 32
2002, 2004, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
NCAA tournament appearances
1982, 1984, 1989, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Conference tournament champions
1989, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024
Conference regular season champions
1925, 1926, 1928, 1929, 1939, 1945, 1986, 1997, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024

National championship games

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The men's team in its first national championship appearance in 1932 lost to Henry's Clothiers in the Amateur Athletic Union title game at Convention Hall in Kansas City, Missouri 15–14 in a last second shot. The Bearcat team was coached by Hank Iba. The featured Bearcat players included Jack McCracken and Wilbur Stalcup.[5] At the time both corporate-sponsored teams and colleges competed in the same tournament.

The Bearcats played Fairmont State University in the national championship game on March 25, 2017, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, winning 71–61.[6]

The Bearcats won their second national championship when they played Point Loma Nazarene University in the national championship game on March 30, 2019, in Evansville, Indiana, winning 64-58.

Northwest was ranked #1 in 2020 going into the NCAA Division II men's tournament to defend its title but the tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.[7]

The Bearcats won their third national championship when they played West Texas A&M in the national championship game on March 27, 2021, in Evansville, Indiana, winning 80-54.

Bearcat Arena

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Bearcat Arena has a seating capacity of 2,500. The facility also houses the university's commencement ceremonies, as well professional concerts. Bearcat Arena, formerly known as Lamkin Gymnasium, was built in 1959 and underwent a $6 million renovation during the 1993–94 academic year with additions. The south side received a new face which included a fitness center and coaches' offices on the second floor.[8]

Year-by-year results

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Northwest Missouri State men's basketball — year-by-year record
Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Carl Hanson (Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1914–1915)
1914–15 Carl Hanson 6–2
Carl Hanson: 6–2
George Palfreyman (Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1915–1918)
1915–16 George Palfreyman 7–5
1916–17 George Palfreyman 6–2
1917–18 George Palfreyman 6–3
George Palfreyman: 19–10
M. H. Sims (Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1918–1919)
1918–19 M. H. Sims 6–4
M. H. Sims: 6–4
Robert Rice (Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1919–1921)
1919–20 Robert Rice 2–7
1920–21 Robert Rice 3–4
Robert Rice: 5–11
Russell Sprong (Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1921–1922)
1921–22 Russell Sprong 0–15
Russell Sprong: 0–15
Eugene Maynor (Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1922–1923)
1922–23 Eugene Maynor 7–7
Eugene Maynor: 7–7
H. Frank Lawrence (Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1923–1929)
1923–24 H. Frank Lawrence 5–5
1924–25 H. Frank Lawrence 9–8
1925–26 H. Frank Lawrence 12–7
1926–27 H. Frank Lawrence 11–7
1927–28 H. Frank Lawrence 12–7
1928–29 H. Frank Lawrence 13–8
H. Frank Lawrence: 62–42
Henry Iba (Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1929–1933)
1929–30 Henry Iba 31–0
1930–31 Henry Iba 31–6
1931–32 Henry Iba 20–2
1932–33 Henry Iba 12–7
Henry Iba: 94–15
Wilbur Stalcup (Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1933–1943)
1933–34 Wilbur Stalcup 8–6
1934–35 Wilbur Stalcup 10–8
1935–36 Wilbur Stalcup 11–7
1936–37 Wilbur Stalcup 13–4
1937–38 Wilbur Stalcup 15–6
1938–39 Wilbur Stalcup 11–7
1939–40 Wilbur Stalcup 20–1
1940–41 Wilbur Stalcup 18–5
1941–42 Wilbur Stalcup 14–6
1942–43 Wilbur Stalcup 18–7
Wilbur Stalcup: 138–57
Ryland Milner (Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1943–1951)
1943–44 Ryland Milner 5–8
1944–45 Ryland Milner 10–6
1945–46 Ryland Milner 12–3
1946–47 Ryland Milner 8–8
1947–48 Ryland Milner 4–14
1948–49 Ryland Milner 13–12
1949–50 Ryland Milner 15–9
1950–51 Ryland Milner 11–11
Ryland Milner: 78–71
H. D. Peterson (Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1951–1953)
1951–52 H. D. Peterson 9–10
1952–53 H. D. Peterson 7–13
H. D. Peterson: 16–23
Dale Kessinger (Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1953–1955)
1953–54 Dale Kessinger 8–12
1954–55 Dale Kessinger 10–10
Dale Kessinger: 18–22
Robert Gregory (Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1955–1959)
1955–56 Robert Gregory 5–15
1956–57 Robert Gregory 8–13
1957–58 Robert Gregory 4–16
1958–59 Robert Gregory 10–10
Robert Gregory: 27–54
Marion Moss (Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1959–1964)
1959–60 Marion Moss 15–8
1960–61 Marion Moss 14–6
1961–62 Marion Moss 7–14
1962–63 Marion Moss 12–11
1963–64 Marion Moss 5–18
Marion Moss: 53–57
Dick Buckridge (Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1964–1972)
1964–65 Dick Buckridge 2–20
1965–66 Dick Buckridge 10–13
1966–67 Dick Buckridge 7–16
1967–68 Dick Buckridge 8–13
1968–69 Dick Buckridge 11–11
1969–70 Dick Buckridge 17–8
1970–71 Dick Buckridge 14–10
1971–72 Dick Buckridge 8–18
Dick Buckridge: 77–109
Bob Iglehart (Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1972–1977)
1972–73 Bob Iglehart 12–13
1973–74 Bob Iglehart 12–13
1974–75 Bob Iglehart 6–18
1975–76 Bob Iglehart 7–17
1976–77 Bob Iglehart 11–16
Larry Holley: 48–77
Larry Holley (Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1977–1980)
1977–78 Larry Holley 11–15
1978–79 Larry Holley 15–11
1979–80 Larry Holley 16–11
Larry Holley: 42–37
Lionel Sinn (Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1980–1989)
1980–81 Lionel Sinn 13–14
1981–82 Lionel Sinn 20–10 NCAA Division II 1st Round
1982–83 Lionel Sinn 17–11
1983–84 Lionel Sinn 24–7 NCAA Division II 1st Round
1984–85 Lionel Sinn 17–10
1985–86 Lionel Sinn 18–10
1986–87 Lionel Sinn 19–10
1987–88 Lionel Sinn 20–8
1988–89 Lionel Sinn 21–9 NCAA Division II 1st Round
Lionel Sinn: 169–89
Steve Tappmeyer (Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association) (1989–2009)
1989–90 Steve Tappmeyer 14–13
1990–91 Steve Tappmeyer 12–15
1991–92 Steve Tappmeyer 16–12
1992–93 Steve Tappmeyer 14–13
1993–94 Steve Tappmeyer 18–10
1994–95 Steve Tappmeyer 13–14
1995–96 Steve Tappmeyer 19–7
1996–97 Steve Tappmeyer 11–16
1997–98 Steve Tappmeyer 23–7 NCAA Division II 1st Round
1998–99 Steve Tappmeyer 19–10
1999–2000 Steve Tappmeyer 22–8 NCAA Division II 1st Round
2000–01 Steve Tappmeyer 25–6 NCAA Division II 1st Round
2001–02 Steve Tappmeyer 29–3 NCAA Division II Elite 8
2002–03 Steve Tappmeyer 22–9 NCAA Division II 1st Round
2003–04 Steve Tappmeyer 29–5 NCAA Division II Elite 8
2004–05 Steve Tappmeyer 19–11 9–9
2005–06 Steve Tappmeyer 22–10 10–6 NCAA Division II 1st Round
2006–07 Steve Tappmeyer 24–7 15–3 NCAA Division II 1st Round
2007–08 Steve Tappmeyer 24–8 12–6 NCAA Division II 1st Round
2008–09 Steve Tappmeyer 12–15 7–13
Steve Tappmeyer: 387–199
Ben McCollum (Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association) (2009–2024)
2009–10 Ben McCollum 12–15 7–13
2010–11 Ben McCollum 10–16 8–14
2011–12 Ben McCollum 22–7 15–5 NCAA Division II 1st Round
2012–13 Ben McCollum 21–10 11–7
2013–14 Ben McCollum 24–9 16–3 NCAA Division II Sweet 16
2014–15 Ben McCollum 25–7 15–4 NCAA Division II Sweet 16
2015–16 Ben McCollum 27–6 19–3 NCAA Division II Sweet 16
2016–17 Ben McCollum 35–1 18–1 NCAA Division II National Champion
2017–18 Ben McCollum 27–4 16–3 NCAA Division II 1st Round
2018–19 Ben McCollum 38–0 19–0 NCAA Division II National Champion
2019–20 Ben McCollum 31–1 18–1
2020–21 Ben McCollum 28–2 21–1 NCAA Division II National Champion
2021–22 Ben McCollum 34–5 18–4 NCAA Division II National Champion
2022–23 Ben McCollum 31–3 20–2 NCAA Division II 2nd Round
2023–24 Ben McCollum 29–5 20–2 NCAA Division II Sweet 16
Ben McCollum: 394–91 241–63
Matt Keeley (Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association) (2024–present)
2024–25 Matt Keeley 0–0 0–0
Matt Keeley: 0–0 0–0
Total: 1,647–992

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

Notable players

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References

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  1. ^ Northwest Missouri State Bearcats Athletics Graphic Standards (PDF). February 8, 2018. Retrieved May 21, 2018.
  2. ^ "Northwest Missouri State University – Men's Basketball Coaching Staff". Bearcatsports.com. Retrieved 2024-11-25.
  3. ^ "Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Conference History". Themiaa.com. Retrieved 2015-11-01.
  4. ^ "Northwest Missouri State University – Bearcat Arena". Bearcatsports.com. Retrieved 2015-11-01.
  5. ^ Henry Clothiers – hoopedia.nba.com – Retrieved September 12, 2009
  6. ^ MIAA Scoreboard (2017-03-25). "Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association – NWMSU Claims Men's Basketball National Title". Themiaa.com. Retrieved 2017-03-25.
  7. ^ "Division II tournament, MIAA spring sports canceled due to coronavirus".
  8. ^ "Northwest Missouri State University – Bearcat Arena". Bearcatsports.com. Retrieved 2016-08-22.