TAHLEQUAH, Okla. (1/21/16) -- The Mules built a double-digit second half lead, but used a late surge to pull away from Northeastern State for a 70-61 win on Thursday night at the NSU Events Center. The Mules have won three straight games and are now 12-5 overall and 6-5 in MIAA play.
Both teams struggled offensively out of the gate with UCM holding a 3-2 lead at the first media timeout. By the second media timeout the Mules held a 13-12 lead after a three-pointer from
Tony Cochran. The RiverHawks (4-12, 3-9 MIAA)regained the lead at 17-15 on a layup from Montre' Williams only to see
Spencer Reaves tie the game with one of his own.
NSU led 22-20 with 4:48 to play in the half after a three-pointer from Williams, but five straight foul shots gave the Mules the lead and sparked a 9-0 run that gave UCM a 29-22 halftime edge.
The Mules opened the second half with a 12-6 run that gave them their largest lead of the night at 41-28 with 16:09 to play in the game. UCM, however, would go the next five minutes without a point. By the time
Tereke Eckwood scored a layup at the 11:40 mark, the RiverHawks were back in the game at 43-38 with 11:40 to play.
NSU came all the way back to tie the game at 45 and then took a 48-47 lead with 8:57 to play on three Mytaa'h Crawford free throws. The lead grew to three on a pair of foul shots from Dakota Caudill, but a three-point play from Eckwood tied the game at 50-all with 6:30 to play in the game.
The teams traded three throws on the next two possessions to tie the game at 52.
D'Marnier Cunningham's layup with 5:15 to play gave UCM a 54-52 lead and two more foul shots from Eckwood made it 56-52. It sparked a 16-3 run that ended with a Reaves layup at the 48 second mark and a 68-55 UCM lead.
The RiverHawks made a couple of threes in the final :35, but the Mules came away with their third straight win.
Eckwood finished the night with a game and season-high 21 points to go along with four assists and three boards. Reaves had 11 points, while Cunningham and
Jakob Lowrance had 10 apiece. The Mules were 19-of-44 for the game, shooting 43 percent. They made 5-of-19 three-point attempts for 26 percent, but were 27-of-35 at the foul line for 77 percent.
Caudill led three RiverHawks in double figures with 17 points and added 11 rebounds for a double-double. Javon Wallace had 13 points before fouling out and Williams chipped in 10. NSU shot 37 percent from the field, 21-of-57, and made jst 7-of-26 three-pointers for 27 percent. NSU struggled at the foul line, going 12-of-23 for 52 percent.
The Mules forced 19 NSU turnovers in the game and turned those in to a 19-5 advantage in points off turnovers.
The Mules wrap up their Oklahoma road trip on Saturday afternoon in Edmond against Central Oklahoma. Game time is set for 3:30 p.m. and the game can be heard live on 1450 KOKO, 98.5 The Bar and warrensburgradio.com with Greg Hassler on the call.
