Southern (10-18) started strong and had a four-point advantage after a three from Daniel Hurst (Hot Springs, Ark.) at the 14 minute mark made it 11-7.

Northwest (23-5) re-took the lead (15-13) two minutes later after a layup from Reggie Robinson. Neither team would score for four minutes, but a three from the Bearcats' Dillon Higdon gave Northwest a five point lead. A jumper from Stanley Titsworth with 6:53 left in the half, cut the lead to one, but that would be the last field goal for the Lions in the half until Trevor Logan (Fayetteville, Ark.) hit a jumper with 25 seconds left, stopping a 21-7 Northwest run to end the half.

Northwest pushed its lead to 28 (55-27) at the 14 minute mark of the second half after a layup from Hunter Henry. The lead would get as high as 35 before two free-throws from Dale Hunter (Seneca, Mo.) to end the game.

Southern was led in scoring from Stanley Titsworth (Muskogee, Okla.) with 18 points. Deonte Cox (St. Louis, Mo.) scored 13 and TJ Britton (Poplar Bluff, Mo.) scored eight and pulled down 13 rebounds. The Lions shot 33 percent from the field, but only trailed 35-34 in rebounds.

Northwest went 36-41 from the free throw line, breaking a school record in the process. Hunter Henry was 3-9 from the field but a perfect 14-14 from the free-throw line to score 20 points in leading all scorers. Reggie Robinson hit 11-13 from the line and scored 15.