Box Score (HTML) | Season Stats

MARYVILLE, Mo. -- The 12th-ranked Mules bid for a fourth straight MIAA title came up short in an 83-73 loss at Northwest Missouri on Saturday afternoon. The Mules shot 63 percent from the field in the game, but went the final 7:22 without a field goal and were just 13-of-26 at the free throw line.

The Mules' (23-5, 14-5 MIAA) final field goal of the game came at the 7:22 mark when Rakeem Dickerson scored a three-point play to give UCM a 66-62 lead. The Bearcats (22-5, 15-4 MIAA) closed the game on a 21-7 run and won their first outright MIAA title since 1986-87 and kept the Mules from becoming just the fourth team in MIAA history to win four straight conference titles.

The Mules started out hot, jumping to a 12-2 lead four minutes in to the game. They made their first eight shots from the field and shot a blistering 70 percent in the first half. When the Mules did miss their first shot, Brennen Hughes was right there with a putback dunk to give UCM a 10-point lead.

The Bearcats rallied, however, using a 23-8 run to go from 23-13 down to 36-31 ahead with 2:37 to play in the half. The Mules scored the final six points of the half, however, on three-pointers from Brad Woodson and Jordan Epps to lead 37-36 at the intermission.

The Mules used a 7-0 run early in the second half to break a 44-all tie and lead 51-44 with 14:38 to play in the game. A 9-2 run by the Bearcats tied the game, but the Mules went right back in front with four quick points. The lead was five with 8:09 to play in the game, but a pair of free throws and a Justin Pitts layup cut the lead to 63-62. The next trip down the floor Dickerson scored his three-point play, but the Mules would go cold from the field the rest of the way.

The lead was two with just over six minutes to play when Conner Crooker hit a deep three to beat the shot clock and give NWMSU a one-point lead. The Mules went back in front on Hughes' two free throws, but Zach Schneider hit a trey with 4:56 to play that gave the Bearcats the lead for good. The lead grew to five before Preston Brunz made two free throws with 2:35 to play to make it a 74-71 game, but Northwest would ice the game away at the free throw line.

Dickerson led all scorers with 23 points, while Hughes chipped in 14 points and eight rebounds and Kyle Wolf added 10 points. UCM was 26-of-41 from the field and 8-of-14 from three-point range.

The Bearcats shot 50 percent for the game, 25-of-50, and made 8-of-17 from three-point range. They were 25-of-30 at the free throw line. NWMSU was led by Grant Cozad's 21 points. Pitts had 19 and Schneider chipped in 18.

Northwest out-rebounded UCM 28-23 and turned 10 UCM turnovers in to 17 points.

The Mules will be the No. 2 seed in the MIAA Tournament and will play the winner of the No. 7 seed Central Oklahoma and 10th-seeded Missouri Westeron on Thursday, March 5 at 6 p.m. at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City. The game will be broadcast live on 1450 KOKO, 98.5 The Bar and warrensburgradio.com with Greg Hassler on the call.