BOLIVAR, Mo. -- The #5 SBU Bearcats got a career night from Wendell Mardis along with double figure scoring from four other players and defeated the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats, 82-61.

Mardis, a transfer from Alabama State, had a career high 24 points off the bench for the SBU Bearcats, including 6 of 11 from three-point range. Other purple 'Cats in double figures were Brandon Burgette with 14 points, and Matt Rogers, D'Ante Harris and Brandon Clemons, all with 10 points each. Hunter Henry led NWMSU with 19 points and 9 rebounds. SBU out-rebounded NWMSU 43-37.

Burgette picked up his first start of the season and keyed a hot start for the home team by hitting his first two three point attempts. SBU would lead 14-4 with five minutes gone following a dunk by Rogers. A 10-3 run by the green Bearcats cut the score to 17-14 but that was as close as the visitors would get as SBU would lead for the entire game.

SBU would lead 37-30 at the break before pushing their lead to as much as 25 in the second half. The win extended SBU's home court winning streak to 25 games. SBU's depth shined, with their bench outscoring NWMSU 36-17, due in large part to the hot shooting of Mardis and Clemons.

With Northwest double and triple teaming Matt Rogers, SBU made 13 of 42 from long range. The 42 attempts equaled a season high. “Matt is the point of focus every night, but we did good giving it up to the open man,” said head coach Jeff Guiot. “We have to shoot with confidence. Wendell looked for his shot in the second half and it paid off.”

“Coming off a loss, we had to take care of the ball,” Guiot added. “We need to be patient and make the plays that are there. We can't get too high or low – we just have to battle. We have to handle losing as well as winning.”

SBU improves to 14-2 and 7-2 in the MIAA while Northwest drops to 7-9 and 2-7 in the MIAA.

SBU is back in action on the road this Wednesday from St. Joseph when they take on the Missouri Western Griffons in a 7:30 p.m. tipoff.