Box Score (WARRENSBURG, Mo.) – The Central Missouri Mules opened the season with a 74-49 win over Westminster on Saturday night at the Multipurpose Building. UCM took the lead for good with a 20-7 run near the end of the first half.
            Both teams struggled to score early as the game was tied 8-8 nearly eight minutes into the contest. Westminster (0-1) took a 16-14 lead with 7:51 to play in the game and that's when they Mules (1-0) took over. Alex Dean tied the game on a layup for two of his game-high 17 points. That bucket ignited a 16-5 run that put UCM in front 32-21 with 2:34 to play in the half. The teams traded buckets the rest of the way and the Mules led 36-27 at the break.
            A three-pointer by Skylar Tolson got the Blue Jays to within six at 36-30 coming out of the intermission, but the Mules went on a 20-0 run over the next eight and a half minutes to open a 56-30 lead with 10:42 to play in the game.
            An 11-4 run by Westminster pulled the Blue Jays to within 60-41 with 6:53 to play, but Widgett Washington scored back-to-back buckets off of turnovers to quickly push the lead back to 23. A jumper by Yavario Smith made it 66-41 with five and half minutes play as the lead grew to as many as 29. The Mules cruised to the easy 25-point win as they open the season 1-0 for the 10^th straight season.
            Dean led all scorers with his 17 points. Smith added 13 and Washington had 11 to pace the Mules, who shot 48 percent from the floor, 29-of-61. UCM was 5-of-17 from behind the arc for 29 percent and 11-of-16 from the foul line for 69 percent.
            Verdis Lee led the Blue Jays with 11 points as they shot 33 percent, 16-of-49 from the field and 3-of-13 from behind the three point line. Westminster was forced into 22 turnovers as the Mules registered 11 steals.
            UCM outscored Westminster 42-16 in the paint and had 20 second chance points to just two for the Blue Jays.
            The Mules are back in action on Tuesday night at the UCM Multipurpose Building as they host St. Mary (Kan.) at 7 p.m. Fans who bring at least four (4) canned food or non-perishable food items will receive free admission to the game. The food drive will benefit the Warrensburg Christmas Store and Food Center.