WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Feb. 11, 2017) -- Central Missouri overcame a very slow start to rally past and pull away from Missouri Southern for a 76-63 win on Saturday afternoon. The trailed by as many as 11 in the first half, but still led at halftime.

The Mules (17-6, 11-4 MIAA) started the game as cold as could be, missing their first nine shots from the field and their first two free throws. Central Missouri didn't make its first field goal of the game until Marquiez Lawrence's dunk with 6:19 to play in the first half. When that shot went in, however, the Mules only trailed 19-12 thanks in large part to UCM's free throw shooting and their defense limiting Missouri Southern.

Lawrence added a second dunk on the next possession and his free throw to complete a three-point play pulled UCM within 19-15 with 5:25 to play first half. Three straight Kyle Wolf free throws cut the lead to one, but a free throw from Vince Fritz and a layup from Lawrence Brown pushed the Missouri Southern (14-10, 8-7 MIAA) back to four.

Matt Wilkinson buried a three later in the half that tied the game at 24-all and Dushaun Rice's layup at the 1:55 mark gave the Mules their first lead of the game. The lead was one late in the half when DJ Richardson scored on a driving layup and the Mules miraculously led 30-27 at halftime.

The Mules started the second half the exact opposite way they started the game, quickly pushing the lead to double digits at 43-32 on an 9-0 run spurred by five points from Spencer Reaves. An 8-2 spurt by the Lions pulled them back within five at 45-40, but the Mules responded with a 13-2 run to seize a 58-42 lead with 6:59 to play in the game.

The Mules pushed the lead to as many as 19 with just under three minutes to play in the game as they pulled away from the Lions for their third straight win and eighth in the last nine games.

UCM ended up shooting 44 percent for the game, going 20-of-45. UCM was just 3-of-16 from three-point range for 19 percent, but made 33-of-38 at the foul line for 87 percent. Reaves led four Mules in double figures with a game-high 20 points. Lawrence recorded his second straight double-double and fifth of the season with 11 points and a season-high 13 rebounds. Richardson had 14 points and Rice finished with 12.

The Mules out-rebounded the Lions 37-34 and outscored them 28-26 in the paint.

Missouri Southern finished 22-of-63 for 35 percent from the field. The Lions were 7-of-25 from beyond the arc for 28 percent and made 12-of-16 at the charity stripe.

Elyjah Clark and CJ Carr both finished with 14 points, while Brown had 10.

The Mules return to action next Thursday night, Feb. 16, hosting Lincoln at 7:30 p.m. at the Multi.