WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Nov. 22, 2016) --
Spencer Reaves led three Mules in double figures with a game-high 16 points as Central Missouri improved to 3-1 on the young season with a 69-56 win over Harris-Stowe State on Tuesday night at the Multipurpose Building.
The Mules grabbed control of the game early, opening the game on a 12-4 run to lead by eight in the first four minutes. They continued their hot early shooting as they extended the lead to 11 by the 11:23 mark at 19-8. Harris-Stowe (2-4) wouldn't go away, however, as they kept inching back in to the game.
Each time the Hornets were able to get within single digits, the Mules would push the lead back up above 10. A pair of free throws by Reaves and then a three-pointer from
Kyle Wolf pushed the lead back to 10 with just under three minutes to play in the half. HSSU again cut the lead to nine at 37-28 with 1:55 to play, but UCM scored the final three points of the frame on free throws from Reaves to lead 40-28 at the intermission.
The lead grew to 14 on two more foul shots from Reaves as the second half got underway, but a 7-0 run by HSSU cut the lead to 42-35 with 16:48 to play in the game. The Mules responded with a 6-0 spurt of their own to push the lead back to 13.
The Hornets were able to pull back within nine at 48-39 with 14:32 to play in the game, but they would get no closer. The Mules pushed the lead to as many as 17 late in the game before coming away with the 13-point victory.
Besides Reaves' game-high 16,
Marquiez Lawrence finished with 13 points and eight rebounds and Wolf chipped in 10. UCM shot 43 percent from the field, going 18-of-42. The Mules were 4-of-13 from beyond the arc for 31 percent and made 29-of-36 free throws for 81 percent.
HSSU was led by Malik Wineglass' 15 points, while Tyrone Alston recorded a double-double of 13 points and 10 boards and Jalen Fletcher chipped in 10. The Hornets shot 41 percent from the field, 19-of-46, but were just 4-of-19 from three-point range for 21 percent. They were 14-of-17 at the foul line for 82 percent.
The Mules out-rebounded Harris-Stowe 29-27 and forced 22 turnovers, but did commit 17 of their own.
UCM returns to action on Saturday afternoon hosting in-region foe SW Oklahoma State at 2 p.m. at the Multi.
