WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Feb. 20, 2016) -- The Central Missouri Mules built a 15-point first half lead, but couldn't hold on in a 78-71 loss to Missouri Southern on Senior Day at the Multipurpose Building. The loss is the sixth straight for the Mules and drops them to 13-13 overall and 7-13 in MIAA play.
The Mules came out on fire, scoring the first 13 points of the game. Missouri Southern (16-11, 13-8 MIAA) got on the board with a pair of free throws at the 13:57 mark of the first half. A 7-0 run by the Lions pulled them within 15-9 with 10:57 remaining in the first half, but
Jakob Lowrance drilled a three-pointer and
Marquiez Lawrence scored a layup to push the lead back to 11.
MSSU pulled back to within nine, but a
D'Marnier Cunningham layup and
Tony Cochran three pushed the lead to 13 with 6:42 to play in the opening period. UCM pushed the lead to as many as 15 at 33-18 at the 3:05 mark, but Missouri Southern closed the half on an 8-1 run to pull within 34-26 at halftime.
UCM pushed the lead to nine early in the second half on a
Spencer Reaves three-pointer, but an 11-0 run for the Lions gave them their first lead of the game at 41-39 with 14:23 to play in the game. The Mules went back in front with five straight points and the see-saw battle began. A free throw from Lowrance followed by five straight from Cunningham gave UCM a 52-46 lead with 11:35 to play. MSSU responded with five straight points of their own to tie the game once again at 52-all.
UCM trailed by four with 5:55 to play in the game, but came back to tie the game at 65 on Lowrance's three with 3:44 on the clock. A 6-0 run, however, by the Lions gave them a lead they wouldn't relinquish and they were able to ice the game at the free throw line.
Cunningham led UCM with 21 points and six assists, while Lawrence recorded his fifth double-double of the season with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Cochran finished with 12 points and Lowrance had 10 and eight boards.
Taevaunn Prince, the MIAA's leading scorer, finished with 25 points in the game after being held scoreless in the first half. Austin Wright had 21 points and Charlie Brown finished with 17.
The Mules out-shot Missouri Southern (48.2-40.0) from the field and made 27 field goals compared to 24. The Mules made 11 three-pointers compared to five for the Lions, but MSSU was 25-of-36 at the free throw line compared to just 6-of-11 for Central Missouri.
UCM had 15 assists in the game, but did turn the ball over 16 times. UCM finished with four blocks in the game, three for Lowrance.
The Mules return to action next Wednesday, Feb. 24 at Lindenwood for a 7;30 p.m. game in St. Charles.
