Men's Basketball | 2/27/2026 4:51:00 PM

GAME 27
Emporia State (9-18, 5-13 MIAA) vs Northwest Missouri (14-15, 7-11 MIAA)
Saturday, February 28 • 3:30 p.m. • Emporia, Kan. • WL White Auditorium
Series Record: NWMSU leads 53-28 • Last Meeting: at NWMSU 77, ESU 70 (Dec. 4, 2025)
Radio: KFFX 104.9FM 
Internet Audio: kvoe.com | Television: None | Internet Video: The MIAA Network
Live Stats | Ticket Info | Complete Notes in pdf
Up Next: End of Regular Season

SENIOR DAY SEND OFF 
Emporia State takes on Northwest Missouri on Senior Day at White Auditorium.

ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 9-18, 5-13 in the MIAA and have played the fifth toughest schedule in the country. They are third in the MIAA in three-pointers per game. Chris Harris averages 12.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Trey Redd leads the MIAA in assist to turnover ratio and needs seven assists to move into the ESU single season top ten. 

ABOUT THE BEARCATS
Northwest Missouri is 14-15, 7-11 in the MIAA. They are second in the MIAA in three-point percentage defense. Aiden Gair is third in the MIAA in three-pointers made.

ABOUT THE COACHES
Tom Billeter is 510-310 in his 28th season as a head coach and is 20-36 in his second season at Emporia State after going 394-224 in 21 years at Augustana. With the Vikings he won the 2016 National Championship, went to nine NCAA Tournaments, won three regular season NSIC Championships, two NSIC Tourney Championships, and 18 consecutive winning seasons. He is 1-2 against Northwest Missouri at ESU  and went 2-4 against NWMSU while at Augie including a win in the 2016 NCAA Regional Championship game.
Matt Keeley is 20-37 in his second year at Northwest Missouri and 133-126 in his ninth year overall. He is 2-1 against Emporia State.

SERIES HISTORY WITH THE GRIFFONS
This is the 82nd meeting between Emporia State and Northwest Missouri with the Bearcats leading 53-28. 

LAST TIME VS NORTHWEST MISSOURI
An early second half run by the Bearcats proved too much to overcome for Emporia State, as the Hornets fell 77-70 at Northwest Missouri to open MIAA action.
Both the Hornets and Bearcats opened the game trading baskets over the first four-plus minutes, with a Chris Harris three putting the Hornets ahead 12-11 at the 15:37 mark of the first half. Over the next four minutes, the Bearcats outscored the Hornets 12-3, taking a 23-15 lead at the 12:17 mark. Over the final 12 minutes of the first half, the Hornets trimmed the Bearcat advantage to three points on multiple occasions, including in the final minute before the break on a layup by Trey Redd to make the score 38-35 with 47 seconds left in the first. A trio of free throws by Northwest Missouri doubled that lead, making the halftime score 41-35 in favor of the Bearcats. Following the break Emporia State scored just six points in the first eight minutes of the second half, as Northwest Missouri took their biggest lead of the game at 55-41 with 12:12 remaining. Over the next seven minutes, the Hornets allowed just two Bearcat field goals to trim the deficit to 62-56 entering the final media timeout with 4:47 remaining. The Hornets were unable to pull within one possession down the stretch, as a Trey Redd layup with 13 seconds left to cut the lead to 71-67 was the closest they would come before falling 77-70.
Emporia State posted a higher shooting percentage than the Bearcats, shooting 46.6% compared to 43.6% for Northwest Missouri. The Bearcats knocked down ten of 24 attempts from three while the Hornets were six of 18, making just one in the second half. Andrew Pengel led the way with 23 points going four of five from beyond the arc. Treyvon Taylor and Chris Harris joined Pengel in double figures, scoring 16 points each.

LAST TIME OUT
The Hornet men shot nearly 70% in the first half, but struggled offensively in the second as they fell 92-78 at Missouri Western on Wednesday night.
Emporia State made ten of their last 15 attempts in the first half, capping a 20 for 29 shooting performance in the first 20 minutes to lead 50-48 over the Griffons at the break. The teams each scored 11 points over the four minutes of the second half, with Chris Harris' fourth three of the game giving the Hornets a 61-59 lead with 16:04 remaining. Emporia State missed their next six attempts as the Griffons put together an 11-2 scoring run to take a 70-63 lead. Treyvon Taylor converted a layup with 10:02 left to cut the deficit to five, but Taylor's bucket proved to be just one of five field goals made in the final 16 minutes by Emporia State. Missouri Western was able to expand on their lead late in the game as the Hornets eventually fell 92-78.
Emporia State shot 69% in the first half, but just 29.6% in the final 20 minutes.
Treyvon Taylor had a team-high 20 points and was joined in dobule fibures by Andrew Pengel  with 16 and Chris Harris with 15 points. Harris also led the Hornets with seven rebounds.

UP NEXT
This is the final game of the season for Emporia State.

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