MULE
(WARRENSBURG, Mo.) — The Mules snapped a two-game losing streak and a three-game home court losing streak with a 70-64 win over Southwest Baptist on Monday night.
The Mules built a 15-point second-half lead and then held off a late Bearcat rally to earn their ninth win of the season.
The Mules (9-3, 3-3 MIAA) were ice cold to start the game as the Bearcats (7-5, 2-4 MIAA) took an early five-point lead. The Mules were 2-for-8 to start the game as SBU took a 9-4 lead by the 13:59 mark. The lead grew to six at 11-5 with 12:31 to play in the half, but Brad Woodson hit a three and Spencer Reaves made a jumper to pull UCM within 11-10 at the 11:00 mark.
A Logan Hovey layup pushed the SBU back to three, but Brett O’Neil hit back-to-back threes to give UCM the lead and Tereke Eckwood scored on a layup to give the Mules an 18-13 advantage with 6:52 on the clock. The buckets ignited an 18-5 run that gave the Mules a 28-18 lead late in the first half. They would go into the break leading 30-22.
The teams traded baskets in the early going of the second half before a layup from D’Marnier Cunningham and two Brad Woodson free throws gave UCM a 39-28 lead. After an SBU bucket O’Neil buried another three to give the Mules a 12-point lead.
Nate Nahirny drilled a triple to pull SBU within nine, but Jakob Lowrance scored off an assist from Cunningham and Kyle Wolf drained a pair of threes to make it 50-35 with 11:50 to play. The lead was still 15 at the 9:03mark when the Bearcats began to chip away at the lead. SBU got the lead under 10 at 59-51, but four straight free throws from Cunningham made it 63-51 with 1:34 to play. The lead was 11 with 1:19 to play, but four straight from the Bearcats made it 64-57.
A three from Nahirny with 17 seconds to play pulled the Bearcats to within four at 68-64, but Cunningham made two more foul shots to give UCM the 70-64 final edge.
The Mules shot 42 percent from the floor, going 22-of-52, including 10-of-24 from three-point range. UCM was just 16-of-28 for 57 percent from the free throw line. Cunningham and Lowrance led UCM with 12 points apiece, while Wolf finished with 11 and Woodson had 10. Marquiez Lawrence finished with 10 rebounds.
Logan Hovey led SBU with 18 points and 12 rebounds, while Brian Patterson had 17 and Cartier Dean 13. SBU was 24-of-51 from the floor for 47 percent. They were 5-of-15 from beyond the arc and 11-of-17 from the charity stripe.
The Mules had 15 assists in the game and forced 21 SBU turnovers.
UCM is back in action on Thursday night at Pittsburg State. Tip-off at John Lance Arena is set for 7:30 p.m.
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