The Northwest Missourian

NORTHWEST

MISSOURIAN

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2021

MARYVILLE, MISSOURI

NWMISSOURINEWS.COM

VOL. 110, NO. 12

@THEMISSOURIAN

Student awarded for help following accident MAKAYLA POLAK Design Editor | @kaypolak

After spending several hours in the B.D.Owens Library, getting study hours for her sorority, Northwest senior Bethney Pedersen decided she was going to go home. Walking to her car, she heard a car honk and saw another car stopped.

As she became more aware of the situation, Pedersen noticed Kathryn Strickland, Northwest Fine and Performing Arts Department chair, get out of her car to help Harley Caudill who was laying in the crosswalk across from Lamkin Activity Center.

Caudill was walking to her class in the Olive DeLuce Fine Arts Building when she looked both ways before crossing the street. She heard the car honk and within a matter of seconds, a car struck her on her right side. The driver of the vehicle was later found to have a medical issue occur while being behind the wheel.

Staying calm and working with others around her, Pedersen assisted Caudill to her utmost ability. She offered to call someone for her and found Caudill’s phone which was thrown during impact.

After offering Caudill water and any other assistance she needed, Pedersen stayed by her side through the whole incident.

“I was set to go to University of Central Missouri before I decided to go here. If this had happened to me and I was someplace I didn’t necessarily live and I didn’t know anyone and my family wasn’t there, I would want someone to come check on me and make sure that I’m OK and be there,” Pederson, a Maryville native, said.

Caudill said that she blacked out after being struck by the car.

After she regained consciousness, there were many people around her to assist her.

After an ambulance took Caudill to the hospital, Pederson realized she was going to be alone at the hospital until someone was able to come. Pederson got into her car and drove to Mosaic Medical Center - Maryville.

“Hospitals are, one, scary anyways. Two, scary to be somewhere you probably have never gone to the hospital. …. I was like, I’m gonna go, and I am gonna sit with her and at least let her know that somebody is there,” Pederson said. “This horrible thing just happened to her, like something that you would never dream of.”

Pederson stayed with Caudill at the hospital until her mom was able to arrive.

SEE PEDERSEN | A4

ADDALYN BRADBURY | NW MISSOURIAN

SILVIA ALBERTI | NW MISSOURIAN

SILVIA ALBERTI | NW MISSOURIAN

ADDALYN BRADBURY | NW MISSOURIAN

A TEMPORARY HOME

After almost a year of no international travel, study abroad programs resume.

SIDNEY LOWRY News Editor | @sidney_lowry

A

fter almost all international travel in and out of the U.S. was shut down in March 2020, international educational programs came to a halt.

Awaiting the go-ahead to receive international students and send Northwest students abroad, foreign exchange programs sat dormant. Despite hopes and plans for international travel in the spring and summer of 2021, trips were cancelled until this semester.

In the fall, Northwest welcomed eight foreign exchange students from the Netherlands, South Korea, Belgium and Japan. Lara van Alphen is one of the current foreign exchange students that jumped at the opportunity of studying internationally when it became an option.

She tried studying a year prior to now, but because of COVID-19 and traveling restrictions, she was unable to attend a foreign university.

“I always was thinking about it when I was in my last year of high school because my brother studied in the United States, and I’ve always been open minded to other cultures,” Alphen said. “And so I really wanted to do an exchange semester when I heard it was possible, just to, like, learn from other people and meet new people from other countries.”

Alphen is from Maastricht, a city in the Netherlands, and had to travel to Amsterdam to get her visa, but distance wasn’t the main obstacle in her path.

Because of the pandemic, the consulate had a minimal amount of appointments for people to get their visas for international travel. When she went to look for an appointment

IN NEWS The Board of Regents approved a $1.4 million plan to correct acoustical deficiencies in the Olive Deluce Fine Arts building.

A4 Board of Regents

OUR VIEW

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Northwest should trust its students and staff to control temperatures in dorms and classrooms.

to get her student visa, appointments were already booked full. But someone ended up cancelling their appointment so Alphen was able to get in at the last minute.

“I was a bit stressed because I wasn’t able to get the appointments scheduled.” Alphen said. “If I was not able to schedule it anymore, I would not be here.”

After obtaining a visa in time was no longer an issue, Alphen packed up and moved to Maryville for the fall semester.

When she arrived, she was excited to find out her classes were all in person. In the Netherlands, she said, they were still doing all online schooling when she left because of the pandemic. Since then, students in the Netherlands have transitioned back to in-person classes, but being able to start in-person classes right away was something Alphen said she was looking forward to.

Alphen was excited to study in a foreign country, but having new experiences compared to the Netherlands is what she was most looking forward to.

“I was actually really happy that you can just go to the bars, and you don’t have to wear face masks,” Alphen said.

“Like, I know that in the Netherlands, in August we still could not go out. And I believe now in the Netherlands you can go out but only until midnight.”

Alphen wasn’t the only exchange student who was happy with the relaxed COVID-19 guidelines seen in Maryville.

Gerd-Jan Hooijmans, another foreign exchange student from the Netherlands, said he was happy about the mitigation rules in the community and the experiences he’s had so far.

SEE ABROAD | A4 IN SPORTS The quest for a conference title continues as the ’Cats travels to Joplin to face Missouri Southern.

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Northwest Women’s soccer coach Marc Gordon directs players in their practice exercise before their MIAA Tournament against Washburn Nov. 3. Gordon has held many positions in his coaching career, including an eight-year stint with Ottawa University from 2010-18 before coming to Northwest in December of 2017.

Gordon sparks change for Northwest soccer Through the window, leaves float across the ground as the occasional car passes by on College Avenue below. It’s another cloudy, autumn day, and inside is an office on the third floor of Lamkin Activity Center — Marc Gordon’s office.

Down the street, west of Carl and Cheryl Hughes Fieldhouse, is Bearcat Pitch, the site for Northwest soccer’s home games, but the coach’s office is what serves as the program’s headquarters.

One thing has been consistent throughout Gordon’s fouryear tenure — change.

“You know, the commitments are different than when I came in,” Gordon said leaning forward in that black, leather office chair. “Some adjusted and wanted it, some did not.”

Before Gordon entered the world of coaching, he played the sport he teaches today.

Through junior high and high school, Gordon played basketball, football, soccer and did some wrestling. It wasn’t until ninth grade when he realized soccer was above the rest for him.

“Soccer seemed to be something I excelled at and enjoyed,” Gordon said.

Thanks to him finding his love of the sport through his playing time, he decided to stick with the game, eventually leading him to a master’s degree in sport management and

administration from the United States Sports Academy.

Gordon has held many positions in his coaching career, including an eight-year stint with Ottawa University from 201018. He found his spot as the head coach at Northwest Dec. 14, 2017.

Assistant coach Quaid Curtin, who has been on staff since 2010, said he was there when Gordon applied for the job.

“I was in his meeting, and after that happened, I’m like, ‘Yes, this is the guy that needs to take over Northwest,’” Curtin said.

“He had, like, a 45-page document that he was like, ‘This is how I want to coach soccer. That was something that wasn’t really around before, and he literally covered every base.”

Now, four years into his position, Gordon said every day on the job is something different. There’s a new challenge and a new task to complete every time he walks into his office or onto the pitch.

One of the consistent things Gordon does is watch film to evaluate his players and upcoming opponents. He said a lot of time goes into planning practice and figuring out ways to prepare for the opposition.

“We try not to overthink that part and continue to do the things we’ve been doing,” Gordon said.

When teams start to succeed, there’s plenty of reasons as to why.

One of which is work ethic, and for the Bearcats, a mindset shift was exactly what they needed.

Curtin said the players’ atti-

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tudes toward work has drastically changed.

“They’re constantly asking for more sessions, and we have to remind them the NCAA is ‘X’ amount of hours a week,” Curtin said. “But that wasn’t here before. The attitude was you come to practice, you go and you forget about it. Now, the players are constantly in the office asking, ‘What can we do to get better?’ I feel like they take it a lot more seriously now, which is amazing.”

Another piece in building a program to success is recruit-

“That’s what I want soccer to be to them — the most important thing of unimportant things.”

-MARC GORDON NORTHWEST SOCCER COACH

ment. Of course, every coach wants players who are talented and fit into their system.

Gordon has been able to find those exact players.

With these players, Gordon hasn’t just found a change on the field, but off of it, too.

“It’s an atmosphere that fits the personalities of the girls and helps them define what it is,” Gordon said. “I want them to believe they’re elite players. I want them to know they can compete at a higher level than they ever thought they could. I want them to love one another.”

Senior midfielder Jessie Brown said when she was an underclassmen, there were cliques

“That’s what I want soccer to be to them — the most important thing of unimportant things,” Gordon said.

It makes things easier when the people working together agree, and that’s what Gordon finds with Curtin.

Curtin said they see eye-toeye on the way soccer should be played. Being a younger coach working with a more experienced coach who shares his style makes it easier for him to learn and grow, he said.

Curtin pointed out a major difference-maker in a relationship is trust.

“I worked with the previous coach, and I will say that one

‘

WESLEY MILLER Sports Reporter | @wesleymiller360

everywhere on the team. She said there wasn’t team unity, and players typically just stuck with their grade. Now, a lot of her friends are the younger players.

“Getting rid of those cliques and being more friendly to teammates all-around, and working to get new players acquainted and comfortable with every single person has been a big focus,” Brown said.

Pride is another major thing Gordon preaches to his players.

The St. Mary of the Plains College alumnus said after the players graduate and it’s all over, no one else besides the players and the people close to them will really care, that the novelty of what they accomplish or don’t accomplish will fade from people’s minds. So, he said he wants them to make the most of it for themselves and to be able to be proud of it.

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thing Marc does so much more is he trusts me,” Curtin said.

“He’s not a micromanager. He has that trust, and it helps me succeed. That’s the foundation of our whole relationship ... we’re able to have tough conversations, because our ultimate goal is the betterment of the program and the players.”

Partnership doesn’t stop there for the Bearcats, which Brown can attest to.

Brown said it’s competitive to be on a team coached by Gordon, but that’s not a bad thing.

“You really do have to earn your spot, but he does his best to — even if you’re sometimes not getting the minutes you want — be available to talk and make sure you understand maybe why you’re not getting those minutes,” Brown said. “You know that he cares for each and every one of you. He wears his heart on his sleeve. Ask anyone on the team and they’d say the same thing.”

The box scores can prove the success the change is having on the program, including the first 10-win season in a decade. However, it’s still hard to grasp for some people, especially for Gordon’s right-hand man.

“I knew the program was going to change. I just didn’t think it would happen as quickly as it did,” Curtin said, rocking in his own office chair.

The 2021 Northwest soccer team has accomplished numerous milestones. What was once thought impossible in 2018, when the team finished 2-15 and last in the MIAA, is now a reality.

The Bearcats started 2-0 for the first time since 2014, defeated then-No. 13 Missouri Western, tied with Central Missouri after losing 22 consecutive matches to the Jennies and won three straight road games in the regular season for the first time in program history, Just in the last couple of weeks in the regular season, the Bearcats earned a winning season for the first time since 2012 and 10 wins on the season for the first time in a decade. Most recently, the team ended the regular season with the highest win-total in the regular season in program history.

“Ultimately, it’s the girls, the players buying into what we’re doing and then the work, the work they do to make the program better,” Gordon said.

“That’s what is changing our success on the field.”

While he believes the team can still go further and do better, Gordon said watching what he’s worked to build is often worth the stress.

“It’s a chess game,” Gordon said. “It’s a frustrating game.

You wonder, ‘Am I doing this right?’ I’ve told the players, ‘This is what I want you to do, and this is how I want you to do it, but I can’t make you do it in the game.’ Seeing them trying to succeed with the things we believe will make them successful, and when they do execute it and have success, it’s gratifying.”

NEWS

Nov. 4, 2021 @TheMissourian

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Pfizer vaccine approved for those under 12 pandemic about the importance of helping “keep kids in the classroom.” Vaccinations in this demographic will help make that mission easier, he said.

A little over 43% of Nodaway County residents are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the most recent data available at the time of publication.

The emergency approval comes as cases continue to trend upward in Nodaway County. COVID-19 cases hit their peak in the county around this time last year with 365 active cases, the most on a single day, Nov. 14, 2020.

There were 57 active cases in Nodaway County as of Nov. 2 — the most recent date with available data at the time of publication. Of the total active cases, 14 are at Northwest.

“Obviously as it gets colder, individuals are more likely to be inside. That’s where the biggest opportunity for COVID-19 to spread is,” Blackford said.

The 57 active cases are the most in Nodaway County since Sept.

12. The beginning of November marked the end of a 35-day streak where the county had fewer than 50 active COVID-19 cases.

The delta variant, more than twice as contagious as previous variants of the virus, is particularly dangerous in groups. It’s made taking precautions in those settings all the more important, both Patterson and Blackford said.

NATHAN ENGLISH Managing Editor | @nathan_3nglish

Almost 11 months after the Food and Drug Administration announced emergency use authorization for the Pfizer form of the COVID-19 vaccine in adults, it has granted another emergency approval for a Pfizer vaccine — this time in children.

The FDA announced its emergency approval of a vaccine for children aged 5-11 Oct. 29. The version of the vaccine is one-third the size of the dose administered to those 12 and older. Similar to the 12 and up version of the Pfizer vaccine, it will be administered in two parts.

The recommended time between doses is three weeks.

Nate Blackford, president of Mosaic - Maryville, said Mosaic is expecting to get a shipment of children’s vaccines next week. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services is expected to alter its standing vaccine orders soon to add the 5-11 age demographic into those eligible to receive the vaccine.

Getting children ages 5-11 vaccinated will help “limit the number of hosts that can carry the virus,” he said, a crucial step in keeping local case counts low.

Tom Patterson, administrator for the Nodaway County Health Department, has spoken consistently throughout the

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The length of the pandemic has caused some to let their “guard down” on mitigation efforts, such as social distancing and maskwearing, which helps contribute to the recent increase in cases, the NCHD administrator said.

“I tell ya, there’s literally a relationship between how well you do with precautions and how many contacts you have with cases,” Patterson said.

The number of hospitalizations in the county during the moderate spike in cases has remained relatively similar to the number in previous months,

fluctuating between two and four hospitalizations on a given day.

Booster Clinic As some will be eligible to get their first dose, many are expected to get their third dose next week at the booster clinic hosted in Carl and Cheryl Hughes Fieldhouse. The Nov. 9 clinic — a result of a partnership between Mosaic - Maryville, NCHD and Northwest — will be the first mass vaccine clinic in Hughes Fieldhouse since the spring and will be solely for Pfizer booster shots.

At the time of publication,

individuals 65 and older, those 18-64 with underlying medical conditions, and individuals at increased risk for transmission — teachers, first responders and frontline medical workers — are eligible to receive a booster shot.

A clinic for Moderna shots will be held in the same place Nov. 18. While Blackford said it’s recommended people get boosters that correspond to their initial vaccine, mixing is allowed. More details about the Moderna booster clinic are expected to be released in the coming days.

Student Senate plans to pilot diversity survey after change in previous decision RIAN CASWELL News Reporter | @rian_caswell

The DI Office plans to take this data and use it in its Inclusive Excellence Plan to build a curriculum for diversity education within Northwest.

During discussion of the survey, Secretary Chloe Kallhoff focused on Senate piloting the survey and not where the funds would come from.

“If we’re focusing on right now and they want us to take the survey, and they are thinking about finding entities to fund it in the future, we should let that be a situation for later,” Kallhoff said. “They really just want our feedback now and to see where that takes them in the future.”

Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs Kori Hoffmann provided background on the survey and what the DI Office will gain from Student Senate taking the survey.

“After talking with Dr. Mallett after last week’s Senate discussion, they are willing to cover the cost because they really just

After voting against paying for a Diversity and Inclusion survey at last week’s meeting, Student Senate voted at its Nov. 2 meeting to test the survey.

Northwest Senior Coordinator of Diversity Jessie Peter presented to Student Senate to clarify where the money for the survey test run would come from.

Peter opened by saying there was confusion in the presentation last week and the DI office was intending to pay for the survey.

Student Senate’s decision against the survey last week was largely due to funding concerns that were discussed. The survey costs $12 per student, and Student Senate did not see this fitting with the amount of students the University would have to supply funding for. In this week’s meeting, Senate voted to take the survey as long as the

spend their money,” Hoffman said. “It is supposed to be taken when a student enters Northwest and when they leave and measure how much intercultural competence you gain while at Northwest, and they really just want a test run from Senate.”

The DI Office plans to be in touch with Student Senate to set up a time to take the survey within the next few weeks.

Other Student Senate business: Senior Class Representative and Student Affairs Chair Ryan Shurvington took James Palmer’s spot as the new Student Senate parliamentarian.

Student Senate appropriated $700 to the Physical Education Professional Club to send nine members to the Missouri Society of Health and Education Convention Nov. 11-14 at the Lake of the Ozarks.

ROSCOE FLINT | NW MISSOURIAN

Student Senate Inclusion Chair Popoola Oluwadamilola advocates for senators to agree to take a test over diversity and inclusion on campus. The test did not pass a week ago, but it was passed almost unanimously the second time.

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NEWS

CRIME LOG for the week of Nov. 4 Northwest Missouri State University Police Department Nov. 1 There is an open investigation for property damage in Parking Lot 41.

Oct. 31 There is an open investigation for property damage in Parking Lot 40.

There is a closed investigation for a liquor law offense in Franken Hall.

Oct. 30 There is an open investigation for trespassing in Hudson Hall.

Oct. 29 There is a close investigation for a liquor law offense in Tower Suites.

There is an open investigation for stealing in Forest Village Apartments.

Maryville Department of Public Safety Oct. 28 Laura L. Rand, 49, was involved in a single vehicle accident on East Third Street and North Saunders Street.

Oct. 27 A pair of keys were recovered on the 700 block of North Dewey Street.

Oct. 25 A summons was issued to Cameron J. Smith, 39, for failure to appear in court on the 400 block of North Market Street.

ABROAD CONTINUED FROM A1 “I’ve enjoyed every moment that I’ve been here. This is going to be my last month; I’m leaving after the exams in December,” Hooijmans said. “I’ve enjoyed every weekend. I haven’t had a dull moment. Last week, Homecoming, Halloween, the game, the tailgate, all of it came together in like one weekend, and that was a great experience.”

In contrast to other international and foreign exchange students, he didn’t experience any issues with studying internationally.

“I wanted to go to the United States once in my life to study, and my school has a kind of an alliance with Northwest. So it was pretty easy for me to come here,” Hooijmans said. “And this is part of my bachelor program, so that means that I can do this without any study delay.”

Students are starting to open up to the idea of studying abroad, and though there was a significant impact in the number of foreign exchange students, it was a short-term decrease, according to the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition.

Due to travel restrictions, consulates closing and visa appointments coming to a halt, universities stopped accepting foreign exchange students.

Now that international travel is starting to open back up, there are multiple students and faculty-led programs starting in the next few semesters.

In the winter, there is one faculty-led business exchange program going to the United Arab Emirates with Assistant Professor Adrienne Reynolds. Northwest will also send some Northwest students to exchange programs during winter break.

As for the upcoming spring semester, Northwest is planning to welcome three exchange students and have nine Northwest students signed up to do an exchange program with other universities.

In summer 2022, there will be seven faculty-led programs for majors such as sociology, literature and communication.

International Support Specialist Connie Murphy said that when it comes to the spring, the numbers of Northwest students going to other universities for foreign exchange programs is similar to what Northwest would have seen pre-pandemic.

“We have a lot of people coming in and wanting to go, so hopefully the numbers will go up,” Murphy said. “I think the students really enjoy it. Once they go, they want to go back.”

MAKAYLA POLAK | NW MISSOURIAN

Bethney Pedersen stands with Sgt. Scott Wedlock and Student Resource Officer Ian Myers to accept her award for Outstanding Citizen in her efforts for demonstrating outstanding strength of character and moral aptitude Oct. 29.

PEDERSEN CONTINUED FROM A1 “I got to the hospital and they told me that Bethney had followed me to the hospital because she didn’t know if I had family around close. … I was just so thankful for that because it was a traumatic experience, so I am glad there’s people like that.” Caudill said.

Sometime after the accident, Pedersen received a text seemingly from nowhere telling her that she was getting a public service award. Unaware of what that was, she asked her brother, Ian Myers, a student resource officer at Maryville High School who was also at the scene of the accident. She found out that it was something the Nodaway County Law Enforcement recently started.

Nodaway County Law Enforcement awarded Pedersen with an Outstanding Citizenship Award. This award was presented to her Oct. 29 at a ceremony in the Nodaway County Sheriff’s Office.

Nodaway County Sgt. Scott Wedlock responded to the accident Aug.

30. He said he was impressed with the hard work that Pedersen put into helping Caudill through the incident.

“I never expected to get an award for being a good human being.

I would expect anyone to do the same thing I did.”

-BETHNEY PEDERSEN NORTHWEST SENIOR

“There were a lot of other people there rendering first aid, some witness accounts, but Bethney stood out to me as I was working the investigator side of the accident. This girl really

went above and beyond what anyone would expect,” Wedlock said.

In the six years that Wedlock has been working for Nodaway County Sheriff’s Department, he said he doesn’t recall a citizen who has been recognized for their outstanding actions.

“There were other witnesses there, but to actually go out of your way to go to the hospital with somebody that’s a total stranger to you and offer them rides and the use of your phone is pretty unheard of in today’s world,” Wedlock said.

Pedersen’s award was given to her for demonstrating outstanding strength of character and moral aptitude, her certificate said.

Pedersen was surrounded by her parents and grandparents during the award ceremony. Thrilled to see their daughter receive her award, her parents sat in the room with wide smiles on their faces as they used their phones to capture the moment.

“I never expected to get an award for being a good human being. I would expect anyone to do the same thing I did.” Pedersen said.

NATHAN ENGLISH | NW MISSOURIAN

From left to right, regents Stephen Coppinger, Jason Klindt, president John Jasinski and regent John Moore listen to the proposal to renovate the Olive Deluce Fine Arts building Oct. 29. The $1.4 million proposal approved and construction will begin in Spring 2022.

Regents approve Fine Arts renovation, seven new curriculum programs NATHAN ENGLISH Managing Editor | @nathan_3nglish

The Northwest Board of Regents approved a resolution to provide $1.4 million to fix acoustical deficiencies at the Olive Deluce Fine Arts building at its Oct. 29 meeting.

The building that houses the Charles Johnson Theater, among other facilities, was constructed in 1965. Assistant Vice President of Facility Services Dan Haslag said since its completion, little to no resources have been spent to address its deficiencies. The project has been in the “queue” for deferred maintenance for a while, Board Chair John Moore (I-Raymore, Missouri) said.

The upgrades will be made to meet standards set by the National Association of Schools of Music and its Commission on Accreditation. The project will include upgrades to eight classrooms, 14 instructional studios,18 practice rooms and will address sound performance issues and noise transfer. Among other upgrades, new doors will be added to some rooms, existing doors will be modified and existing walls will be altered or added to.

“We have to align our facilities that best supports the academic learning experience,” Haslag said when introducing the proposal.

Construction is set to begin soon after spring 2022 graduation and construction affecting bathrooms is expected to be finished prior to the start of the fall 2022 semester, Haslag said.

“I have concerns about deferred

maintenance — we all do, right? We all have concerns about deferred maintenance these days,” Regent Jason Klindt (R-Kearney, Missouri) said. “But what I like about this project is that it leverages public, private funding.”

The project will be half privately funded by donors and half funded through allocations under the Campus Master Plan. The plan was started in 2015 as a list of possible improvements

need our help right now,” Hurst said.

Prior to the Fine Arts proposal, the Board voted unanimously to approve seven new curriculum programs presented by Provost Jamie Hooyman.

A bachelor’s in echocardiographic studies and a bachelor’s in sonographic studies were among the new programs approved. The two programs will be done in partnership with St. Luke’s Health System, aim-

$1.4 million will be allocated to renovate the Olive Deluce Fine Arts building to the University, like the Agricultural Sciences program moving from Valk to the Dean L. Hubbard Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in 2017.

The fee for the plan went into effect in 2017, and the improvements to Fine Arts will use about 4.4% of the funds generated from that fee.

Regent Lydia Hurst (R-Tarkio, Missouri) was the lone no vote on the proposal. Hurst, who attended the meeting virtually, said while she saw the need for the improvements, she chose to vote no for financial reasons.

“We need to save as much as we can so that tuition does not increase because the families (of students) really

ing to provide students interested in radiology more options and allow them to finish their degree at Northwest, Hooyman said.

Other curriculums approved at the meeting include two nursing certificates, a master’s in geographic information studies and two educational diagnostician programs.

“Probably about 15 years ago you would’ve never even heard of it. It’s one of those fields that is in high demand,” Hooyman said of the educational diagnostician programs.

The new programs will use existing resources and were created to provide additional options for students.

OPINION

Oct. 7, 2021 @TheMissourian

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Staying upbeat in dreary seasons CORBIN SMITH Opinion Editor @curly_corbs

Life is full of ups and downs.

As cliche as that phrase is, its meaning still holds quite a bit of value. We’re entering the time of year that is often associated with a downswing of emotions that seems to correlate with the temperature and quality of weather. Although we’re inching closer to the “most wonderful time of the year,” sometimes it’s hard to feel that end-of-year cheer.

Seasonal depression hits pretty hard during these winter months. However, it isn’t the end of the world, and there are ways to regain control of your emotions.

The end of fall and beginning of winter are beautiful times of the year. The colorful trees provide a sense of warmth that counterbalances the cool breezes. This is a good time to take a step back and appreciate what the world offers. There’s a certain calmness that comes from this time of the year, especially in Maryville, that’s different from other seasons.

However, it gets hard to appreciate life when it seems to slip away in December. Trees are bare, grass is dead and general motivation to roll out of bed is nowhere to be found.

I might present a few cliches, but I’ll only mention the ones that merit attention despite their redundancy.

During this season, it’s important to surround yourself with people who want to see you succeed. These people will listen to your emotions, pick you up when you’re down and push you to continue fighting the good fight. Chances are, you’re not going through this pain alone.

Find something to motivate yourself. Setting something out that inspires you to roll out of bed, start your day and get better will keep you active daily.

Additionally, goals can serve as a reminder that you have a purpose, a reason to smile and enjoy life. Small goals to start you off can be as simple as talking to your favorite person each day or even getting out of bed. Little victories lead to little happiness — which is what we need now and again.

Enjoy movie nights and warm delights when it’s too cold to even think about existing. The good thing about ugly weather is that it acts as an excuse to avoid people you don’t like. Might as well take the opportunity to curl up under a warm blanket with a cup of your choice of warm beverage and relax. People need breaks to recharge from time to time.

Depression, seasonal or not, affects everybody differently.

Find whatever makes you feel good at the end of the day. Every day may not be a good one, but there’s always somebody there willing to help in a time of need. Don’t be afraid to express that something is wrong and know that every night ends so that another day may begin.

Anyone who struggles with mental health can call the national suicide prevention hotline at 800-273-8255. Students can also reach the Northwest Wellness Center at 660-562-1348.

ALEXANDRIA MESZ | NW MISSOURIAN

OUR VIEW:

Northwest should change heating and cooling system The time of the year has arrived where temperatures leave the realm of comfort and force students into a constant state of shivering. Every year, Bearcats receive an email that notifies them that Northwest has finally deemed it cold enough to turn on the heat across campus buildings.

Although the University decides what “cold enough” means on campus, students annually cross the crisp threshold before Northwest cranks its furnaces on. This results in yearly complaints from students that could be avoided if students were allowed to control the climate of their rooms.

An email sent by Northwest News Oct. 26 announced the campus will transition from cooling to heating Oct. 28. Northwest’s system can only operate on one setting at a time, so the University unintentionally either freezes its students out or tries to melt them in their winter coats. There’s not much of a mix of the two options.

As for faculty and staff, the same issue impacts them on campus. Using rooms to teach, advise and host events that use the same system as the dorms causes issues with comfortable room temperatures. Instructors often apologize for class-

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“It’s the right time to turn the heating on, and so it’s nice we don’t have to freeze any longer.

The process is long, so that always sucks. But I’m glad it’s coming on.”

“I was happy whenever the heat got turned on because our room was the same temperature as it was outside, so it was very cold.

And then the water being shut off didn’t help.”

“I am so excited. All the rooms I have classes in are freezing, so I have to wear six different layers. And I run warm, so I don’t want to wear six layers to class everyday.”

THE STROLLER:

Your Bearcat misses their party days If you are the person that believes getting blacked out is a personality trait, you should Google AA. College is draining enough, now I have found myself gagging at the thought of alcohol.

It’s my own fault for thinking that taking tequila shots for the last two years was a good idea.

But at the same time, I expected my party days to last longer.

Before the world collapsed into a pandemic, I was fueling the liquor industry by downing handles of Captain Morgan in the

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grass lot while I didn’t even know what team we were playing. To be fair, at that point, I’m not sure I could have told you my name.

I enjoy the simplicity of only having a drink or two and then driving myself home to go to bed at 11 p.m. on a Thursday. Though I would never do it again, sometimes I miss the nostalgia of passing out in the Flag Plaza.

I’m not sure if it is the upper division classes or my liver shutting down, but I have reached peak adulting when

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it comes to drinking. There is nothing wrong with this; you have to grow up eventually.

If you are still the person that goes hard at the bars, I might roll my eyes. Because if you ask me what I will be doing this weekend, I will inform you that it will have nothing to do with alcohol.

My underage partying days have been over for a while. Part of me wishes that I would have waited to start drinking, and another part of me thanks myself for getting

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burning. Despite how minor the issue may seem, it would be wise for Northwest to fix it.

Ventilation has been expressed as an issue in Roberta Hall. Sorority students have been requested to keep windows and doors shut to make sure that heat can spread evenly across the building. With individual heating, each room would be properly warmed, which would eliminate the problem. The Northwest Missourian staff may not be HVAC experts, but we know that heating and cooling would be nice to control ourselves.

Even a cap on how far students can raise or lower temperatures would be better than the two extremes offered at the moment.

Being able to choose which days are nice enough to enjoy open windows would improve the moods of many students. It would benefit the University’s metaphorical pockets as well.

Maryville’s weather is notorious for being erratic. Northwest should help Bearcats stay comfortable during months when the temperatures vary most often. Relinquishing thermostat control to students would be the best way to accomplish that.

YOUR VIEW:

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room saunas and promptly remove their burly coats while griping about sweating in class just for the sweat to freeze with one step outside.

Students who live on campus witness this problem essentially daily.

They also express their concern with the system of operations. Students pay thousands of dollars each year they live on campus to be forced to live in uncomfortable temperatures.

They live under the facade that their rooms’ climate can be controlled by a thermostat when, in reality, the dials and levers are equivalent to the burners in a children’s playset kitchen.

Allowing students to choose their own temperatures would not only make students happier in dorms, but it could potentially save the University money. Not all students are going to constantly turn their units on full blast. Some students enjoy letting their body heat warm up the room and rely on insulation to keep it warm.

Insulation is another money-losing problem the University should address. In the high-rises, windows often frost over from outside temperatures and allow the outer half of the room to chill while the other half is

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it over with and out of the way. But there are days I wish I could go to The Pub and actually want to buy a drink.

I learned my lesson the hard way, and I hope this finds its way to the people that need to hear this — your bottom shelf vodka mixed with your MiO will still be there when you are 21, pace yourself.

The Stroller has been a tradition since 1918 and does not reflect the views of The Northwest Missourian.

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Nov. 4, 2021 @TheMissourian

A6

SPORTS

NW women gear up for new year with exhibition WESLEY MILLER Sports Reporter | @wesleymiller360

As the temperature outside begins to lower, there are a few things it signifies: the end of fall, the potential for snow and the start of the holiday season.

For Northwest women’s basketball, it signifies the beginning of a new season.

When the Bearcats step onto the court for their next game, an exhibition match against William Woods Nov. 6, it will be to start the 2021-22 season.

The team will be looking to improve from its 2020-21 season, in which Northwest finished 7-15 and missed the MIAA Tournament for the third time in four years.

For coach Austin Meyer, now in his fourth year at the helm of the program, he said this is the best chance in his stint so far to see improvement.

“For the time that I’ve been here, this is the most talented team we’ve had. This is the hardest-working team we’ve had, and this is the most together team we’ve had,” Meyer said.

Not everyone is convinced, though.

Meyer and company were voted as No. 9 by both the coaches and media in the MIAA preseason polls.

Meyer said that while the team has improved in the last few years, the ranking was fair.

“Obviously, in our group, we think we’re better than that,” Meyer said. “But, you know, we haven’t finished better than ninth is the reality.”

Similar to Meyer, redshirt freshman guard Emma Atwood said she thinks her squad is better than the polls suggest.

“I mean, like, people have their opinions, and so if that’s where they think we’re at. But I think, as a team, we know we’re capable of better than a ninth-

REMATCH CONTINUED FROM A8 Dreamer, Waters, Hudgins and Bernard accompanied Hawkins in the starting lineup last season, but redshirt freshman forward Daniel Abreu is now expected to fill the

place finish,” Atwood said. “So, we just kind of have to look at that and use it as motivation and, hopefully, prove people wrong.”

In order to earn a higher ranking, the Bearcats will need to improve in key areas of the game such as scoring, where they finished 13th in the MIAA a season ago, along with rebounding.

Last season, Northwest finished last in offensive rebounds per game, eighth in defensive rebounds per game and last in rebounding margin.

Meyer said it is definitely a point of emphasis. It’s been an issue for more than just last season, he said, and it’s something they’ve focused on when it comes to recruitment and getting more size.

“Last year, we took really good care of the ball — we were top five in the country in fewest turnovers — and that’s huge for us,” Meyer said. “But we struggled rebounding, and we struggled to score. And you obviously got to do those things in basketball.”

Recruitment has been a focus for Meyer throughout his tenure as the head coach. There are 13 underclassmen on the roster this year.

Meyer said the youth on the team will not only help Northwest this year, but for years to come.

“There’s some continuity now, which I think is going to help us. And moving forward, kids are going to get a chance to play together for multiple years, and I think that only helps,” Meyer said.

An underclassmen herself, Atwood said being able to add years of playing because of COVID-19 helps her and others like her to gain the experience they need of playing at the college level.

“Having a younger team is definitely an advantage, and being able to show the true freshman where to go is pretty excit-

void that Hawkins left when the Bearcats take the floor for the season’s opening weekend.

Abreu played in 25 games last season, seeing the court for a little more than nine minutes of action each game while averaging 3.1 points and 1.4 rebounds,

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Northwest women’s basketball freshman guard Kendall Clatt fights through the defense during the Bearcats’ Green vs. White Scrimmage Oct. 30 in Bearcat Arena. Clatt is one of eight true freshman on this year’s roster.

ing,” Atwood said.

While the Northwest football team was the hot topic on Northwest’s Homecoming Oct. 30, the women’s basketball team had an event of its own. The Bearcats hosted a Green and White Scrimmage, which is meant to be the fans’ first preview into competitive play for the ‘Cats.

Meyer said the contest showed the offense needs some work, but the entire team played good defense, which was something he wanted to see continue after last season, when the Bearcats finished fifth in the MIAA in points allowed per game.

“Defense you should bring every game,” Meyer said. “There’s going to be nights where you don’t make shots or struggle to score, but defense you should have every night. So we try to be

and McCollum expects Abreu to thrive in his new role.

“Daniel works extremely hard. I mean, he’s in the gym as much as anyone we have,” McCollum said. “He’s got a great motor, a great attitude, is always ready. … He just gives us another presence down low.”

This is different for McCollum, who said he was really only worried about the rotation of two spots in the lineup last season.

Hudgins, Bernard and Hawkins each played an average of at least 32 minutes per contest. With one of those pieces gone, he’s hoping to see other players — such as sophomore forwards Dreamer and Waters, —pull a heavier weight than they’re used to.

He won’t have to worry about his guard duo of Hugins and Bernard, one of the best backcourt tandems in Division II basketball.

“The personalities are slight-

UP NEXT NW vs. William Woods 7 p.m. Nov. 6 Bearcat Arena

consistent in that area.”

Multiple matches during the scrimmage ended with close scores, which Meyer said is a testament to the depth on the team. He said being able to have multiple different lineups that can be used and players who can step up if needed is nothing but an advantage.

“We have a lot of kids, and we’re not going to play them all.

But everybody has value to the team and equal value,” Meyer said. “It’s just everybody has different roles.”

21 Seattle Pacific for the first-ever meeting between the two programs Nov. 7.

The Falcons played a makeshift 13-game schedule last year, in which they played five games against the same team, due to their league — the Great Northwest Athletic Conference — not conducting a season due to COVID-19.

“Seattle Pacific is really good, too,” McCollum said. “They’re really, really good.”

McCollum wouldn’t want it any other way, though.

He likes facing some of the toughest competition in the country to start the season. He wants his team to be challenged.

He wants the Bearcats to protect themselves despite a nationwide target on their back.

Because regardless of what happens in St. Joseph, McCollum expects opening weekend to put the Bearcats on the path toward the program’s fourth national title in six years.

ly different, and that really helps.

Trevor makes Diego better because he’s such a calming influence. Diego makes Trevor better because he’s just got so much fire and juice to him,” McCollum said. “It’s not rocket science, really. You’ve got two good players; you just let them do their thing.”

7

NW has won by 7 total points during the last two games with Northern St. He’s hoping they’ll do their thing not once, but twice this weekend in St. Joseph.

Following their season-opening matchup with Northern, the Bearcats will square off with No.

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A7

Bearcats prepare to battle ’Bods in MIAA Tourney WESLEY MILLER Sports Reporter | @wesleymiller360

JON WALKER | NW MISSOURIAN

Northwest football sophomore quarterback Mike Hohensee celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the first quarter of the Bearcats’ 66-12 win over No. 17 Nebraska-Kearney Oct. 30 in Bearcat Stadium. Hohensee finished the game 14-of-18 for 270 yards passing and three touchdowns.

No. 6 Northwest ’Cats demolish readies to tame Kearney in battle MIAA foe Lions of top-25 teams JON WALKER Sports Editor | @ByJonWalker

UP NEXT

NW vs. Missouri Southern In the aftermath of the first loss 2 p.m. Nov. 6 of the season, a 17-16 defeat courJoplin, Missouri tesy of Washburn, Northwest football coach Rich Wright alerted his players the postseason didn’t start dominant performance for the after the conclusion of the regular second time in as many weeks. season in mid-November.

The offense sputtered in the It started right then. loss to Washburn and Week 6 “I laid it out to ’em, and I win over Pittsburg State — both didn’t sugarcoat it. I said, ‘Our games in which the Bearcats playoffs start now,’” Wright said. were shutout during the first “I said, ‘Because if you lose an- half — but was able to put up other football game during the 648 yards against Northeastern regular season, you lose all con- and 606 against Kearney. It’s trol of your destiny. There’s only the first time Northwest has had one way to secure that you’re go- back-to-back games with at least ing to win a conference champi- 600 yards of offense since 2011. onship and get to the national But one of the difficulties of the playoffs, and that’s to win out.’” game, Buck said, is to play SouthThat’s exactly what the No. 6 ern on the road, and it’s not beBearcats (7-1) have done since cause of the Lions’ overwhelming then, beating Northeastern State crowd. Actually, it’s the opposite.

59-7 after their loss before playWhen the Bearcats hit the ing a top-25 showdown against road to take on another top-tithen-No. 17 Nebraska-Kearney. er program in the conference, as Northwest used perhaps its Wright said earlier, it’s easy to be best game of the Rich Wright era excited. It’s easy to feed off of the to take control of the MIAA’s driv- energy a toxic opposing fanbase er’s seat with a 66-13 beatdown of can create throughout the enthe Lopers, who would’ve all but tirety of four quarters of football. secured the conference crown In the Lions’ 7,000-seat stadium, with a win over the Bearcats. which usually has around 2,000 “There were so many things that empty seats for games, it’s tough to stuck out in that game,” Wright said create any energy, Buck said.

Nov. 2. “It was probably the most They were able to do it on complete game that I’ve been a part the road against Northeastern, of at Northwest getting off to a since 2016.” fast start and “We all kind even stronof woke up a ger finish delittle bit,” sespite the meanior linebackger crowd of er Brody Buck 2,217. They’ll said of the be striving to NW has scored at least Week 7 wakedo it again up call. “All this week.

38 points in the last 13 year we heard “It’s gonna meetings with Southern that we’re be pretty flat such a talented there, in my team, we have all the pieces, blah, experience being there the last blah, blah, then we lost a football couple years,” Buck said. “If we game against Washburn.” treat it like a playoff game, you’ll Wright said he believes the have guys rise up to the occaBearcats responded to the task he sion. Sometimes this team, if we presented, playing to the best of don’t do that, we’ll fall to our optheir capabilities during the last ponents.” few weeks, and he’s hoping they’ll The Bearcats will be ready to do that again when they travel to tame the Lions, though, Wright said.

Fred Hughes Stadium in Joplin, They aren’t too caught up in Missouri, for a Week 10 matchup the fact that Southern has been with Missouri Southern. able to ruffle some of the conferThe Lions (3-6), who enter the ence’s feathers this season despite matchup tied with Central Mis- a first-year head coach. The Lions souri for the third-worst record are a wildcard, losing to Northeastin the MIAA, present a different ern before rebounding with only a kind of challenge to the Bearcats. 4-point loss to Pitt State and even“When you’re playing another tually beating Central Missouri. team that’s got one loss, and — top Wright and company aren’t of the conference, it’s homecom- planning on overlooking the unpreing, it’s pretty easy to get up for that dictability of what Southern could football game,” Wright said. “For bring to the table during the Lions’ us, our challenge is, and has been, final home game of the season. to be able to sustain that week-in “They have our attention,” and week-out. … How are we go- Wright said. “Now it goes back ing to grow? How are we going to to being about us and having respond this week on the road?” a phenomenal week of pracAside from the defense hold- tice, the same way we have the ing Kearney’s MIAA-best of- last two weeks, then showing fense to a season-low 13 points, up ready to play in Joplin, Misit was the offense putting on a souri, on Saturday at 2 o’clock.”

38

JON WALKER Sports Editor | @ByJonWalker

When No. 8 Northwest and No. 17 Nebraska-Kearney met for a Week 9 matchup Oct. 30 in Bearcat Stadium, it was expected to be one of the best Division II football games of the season.

It was supposed to be a nail-biting thriller, with the winner taking sole possession of first place in the MIAA with only two weeks remaining in the regular season. It was supposed to be Lopers’ MIAA-best offense against the Bearcats’ MIAA-best defense. It was supposed to be a game that came down to the last drive, a climactic ending that would’ve been only appropriate for a matchup of that magnitude.

It was everything but that, as Northwest beat Kearney 66-13 en route to jumping atop the MIAA. “I just say it’s a statement game,” Northwest senior wideout Kaden Davis said.

“I challenged the kids earlier this week to start fast and finish stronger, and they did,” Northwest fifthyear coach Rich Wright said.

“Once we got on a roll, I mean, we were rolling.”

The Bearcats (7-1) wasted little time getting on the roll that Wright mentioned. Actually, they didn’t waste any, as a reverse on the opening kickoff resulted in Davis returning it 90 yards to the end zone. Despite a missed extra-point attempt, the ’Cats had a 6-0 lead over Kearney (7-2) a mere 15 seconds into the contest.

It was something Northwest practiced in the week leading up to the game, Wright said, and it was unusual.

It’s a squad that prefers to return toward the right side, something Wright acknowledged following the 53-point victory. Special teams coordinator Roberto Davis took advantage of that, sending senior wideout and primary returner Imoni Donadelle toward that usual right side before pitching the ball to Davis, who had to beat one man en route to the end zone.

“Kaden Davis, when he gets in the open field, can go,” Wright said. “Once he gets to the open field, there aren’t a whole lot of people that are gonna catch him.”

Kearney, led by junior quarterback T.J. Davis, strung together a 10-play, 75yard drive in response to Davis’ return to take a 7-6 lead.

That was the Lopers’ first and final lead of the game, and it was squandered when Northwest sophomore quarterback Mike Hohensee took off for a 56-yard touchdown on the ensuing drive.

The sophomore was as effective with his arm as he was with his legs, throwing for 270 yards passing and three touchdowns while going 14-of-18.

He wasn’t the only bright spot, as senior running back Al McKeller had perhaps his best game since transferring to

Northwest. McKeller entered the contest with five rushing touchdowns this season, but against the Lopers alone, he had four touchdowns and 91 yards on 17 carries.

“We have a lot of toys in the toy box,” Wright said. “I give a lot of credit to coach (Todd) Sturdy and the offensive staff for having those guys dialed up and schemed up this week.

They did an awesome job.

Ultimately, it’s the kids that have to go out and execute it — man, did they execute it today. It was fun to watch.”

But aside from the offense having a season-best performance, it was the defense that played a large part in taming the Lopers’ offense, which averaged nearly 500 yards of offense.

Kearney had leaned on its conference-best rushing attack, averaging 270 rushing yards per game, to run wild and spoil Northwest’s Homecoming.

“I just say this is a statement game. Put the nation on notice, showing them what we can do.”

- KADEN DAVIS NORTHWEST FOOTBALL SENIOR WIDE RECEIVER

The Bearcats held the Lopers to a meager 61 yards on the ground.

“We don’t necessarily tweak our defense in terms of structure, but we tweak little things within it,” Wright said. “We had the mindset that (Davis) wasn’t gonna beat us.

He was gonna pitch the ball on the perimeter, or he was gonna get the heck knocked out of him.”

As promised by Wright, he got the heck knocked out of him, as Northwest’s defense sacked him three times and held the dual-threat playmaker to minus-17 yards rushing.

“It was really just — we gotta get the ball out of his hands,” said Northwest senior defensive back Drew Dostal. “If you watch the tape, it’s him running, him faking and throwing it deep — big plays.”

And despite jumping into the conference’s driver’s seat, Northwest isn’t too wrapped up in that.

Wright continuously preaches the ’Cats get every team’s best shot, and they know that.

They’re not expecting any less when they prepare for a Week 10 matchup with Missouri Southern.

“We approach every week the same. One week at a time,” Hohensee said. “Right now, we’re just getting focused on Missouri Southern.”

Throughout the entirety of the 18-game regular season, the Northwest soccer team made program history, and now the Bearcats will look to continue their run into the postseason.

Since the team started 2-0, the first time that’s happened since 2014, the ’Cats continued to make their mark on the program’s history book. But it was probably hard to imagine all they would accomplish.

“I’m really proud of the girls for their work and commitment,” coach Marc Gordon said.

Entering the last weekend of their regular-season slate, the Bearcats sat at 10 wins, with rematches against Missouri Western and Missouri Southern awaiting them. Northwest won the first matchup against both squads, but the opposition was looking to avenge the losses before the regular season ended.

For the first of the two, the Bearcats beat the Griffons 2-0 and doubled down on their 2-1 win over the Griffons Sept. 19.

The second match of the weekend was when things got crazier for the ‘Cats.

In the first contest with the Lions, the Bearcats had as solid of a game as any. They won 4-1 and outshot the Lions 217. Things were not so smooth this time around.

“We kind of got sucked in against a high-pressing team,” Gordon said. “They really, really worked hard to press us.”

The pressure from Southern worked for almost 65 minutes of play, and the Lions held a 1-0 lead over the Bearcats. But 10 seconds before the 65th minute, the Bearcats worked through the Lions’ pressure for their first score of the game, courtesy of junior defender Letycia Bonifacio, who also scored against Western.

“It feels good just to be able to help my team in moments they need it,” Bonifacio said.

Bonifacio’s goal was the last score in regulation, and the two teams went into overtime. The first overtime fared no better than the last 25 minutes of play in regulation, with both teams failing to put a ball to the back of the net. In the second overtime, when it looked like the teams might end the season on a tie, the Bearcats pulled it off.

In the 102nd minute, sophomore forward Teagan Blackburn received the ball from senior midfielder Madison McKeever. Blackburn’s kick toward the goal held true, and Northwest completed the sweep of Southern on the season. This was her fifth game-winning goal of the season — tied for the most in the MIAA. The win signified more than that, though. Northwest earned its 12th win of the season, setting a new season-high win total in the program’s 22-year history.

“That’s important for me to know that I’m part of writing a new story for the program,” Bonifacio said. “We’re definitely not stopping there.”

“To be able to check another box in our process and our growth is special,” Gordon said.

The next box the Bearcats will check is the first home postseason match in program history. Northwest earned the No. 3 seed in the MIAA Tournament, and with it comes a first-round home game.

UP NEXT NW vs. Washburn 1 p.m. Nov. 7 Bearcat Pitch

FULL STORY ONLINE: NWMISSOURINEWS.COM

SPORTS

Back on top Northwest football sits atop MIAA with key win see A7

Return of the ’Cats NW women’s basketball ends preseason with exhibition

see A6

Nov 4, 2021

SEASON’S GREETINGS

GRAPHIC BY MAKAYLA POLAK DESIGN EDITOR PHOTOS BY JON WALKER SPORTS EDITOR

Men’s basketball starts title defense with regional rematch at Small College Basketball HOF Classic

N

JON WALKER Sports Editor | @ByJonWalker

orthwest men’s basketball was 2 minutes and 7 seconds away from having last season’s title run put to an end in the Central Region Tournament championship game.

Coach Ben McCollum had just called the first of his final two timeouts, and the Bearcats were staring into the face of a 77-70 deficit to top-seeded and host school Northern State.

“If there was a camera in that huddle with about two minutes to go — when at that point, as a coach, you’re sitting there like, ‘That’s probably all she wrote. Good season.’ You don’t actually do that, but it’s a natural human instinct,” McCollum said Nov. 2. “Our natural human instinct was to fight and to find a way to do it.”

That’s exactly what they did, rallying from an 11-point deficit with three minutes to go in order to force overtime, where the ’Cats punched their ticket to the Division II Elite Eight with a 91-86 win over the Wolves.

But that was nearly eight months ago, and none of it will matter when the No. 1 Bearcats start their back-to-back title defense against No. 15 Northern at the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic Oct. 6 in St. Joseph.

“That event is awesome. If anybody saw the Northern State game last season, when we were down 11 or 12, it’ll be a rematch of that,”

McCollum said Oct. 12 at the 2021 MIAA Basketball Media Day. “We’re excited to be able to play in (the Hall of Fame Classic).”

“First game is always a good game,” said Northwest junior guard Trevor Hudgins, the reigning NABC Division II Player of the Year.

Should history repeat itself, Hudgins will be exactly right.

Including the meeting in March, the previous two matchups have gone into overtime, needing an extra five minutes of basketball to declare a winner in a game where neither of the nationally-ranked teams expects to lose.

This weekend will provide a similar feel to the first weekend of the 2018 season, when the Bearcats used overtime to beat the Wolves 7270 at the Hall of Fame Classic in St. Joseph.

McCollum doesn’t expect anything less than another nail-biting thriller.

“These kinds of games are always close; it’s always gonna be a close game,” McCollum said Tuesday afternoon. “It’s always going to come down to who wants to win more, essentially. They’re good, well-coached and we’ll have our hands full, for sure.”

Both teams will look a lot different than they did last season, but more so Northern than Northwest.

The Wolves were led by forward Parker Fox, who gouged the Bearcats for 34 points and 12 rebounds in the regional championship before fouling out in overtime. He transferred to the University of Minnesota after

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last school year.

Fox was accompanied by Mason Stark, a sharpshooting guard who hit on 45% of his shots from beyond the arc while averaging 17 points per game. He transferred to play basketball at Northern Arizona University.

The Bearcats will be without forward Ryan Hawkins, who transferred to the University of Creighton after a four-year tenure in Maryville that led to him becoming only the second player in Northwest history to score 2,000 points. He also became the program’s all-time leader in rebounds (948).

“I mean, we’ve got Wes Dreamer and Luke Waters, who have both stepped up,” Hudgins said. “The whole team is stepping up right now. Me and Diego (Bernard) are just maturing, growing more into leadership roles every day. … I don’t think anything’s gonna change, for real. (Hawkins) was a great player, but I feel like our program’s in good hands.”

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