Mules Grind Out 78-75 Win Over Cardinals

WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Nov. 16, 2018) - In a game that went down to the wire, Central Missouri had just enough to outlast William Jewell 78-75 Friday night in Warrensburg to improve to 3-0 on the season. The Mules needed a big second-half to overcome an early 10-point deficit, and grabbed the lead for good with just 1:20 left to play.

How it Happened
• Three-point shooting was the name of the game. Their 14 threes kept them in the game as they shot 53.8% from behind the arc. The Mules hit 11 themselves including seven in the second half.
• The Mules had a big advantage underneath and it showed with a 39-28 edge in rebounding and 32 points in the paint.
• UCM also grabbed 12 offensive rebounds and scored 19 second-chance points the Cardinals two.
• Central Missouri's depth played a factor getting 31 points off the bench while the Cardinals played only seven and scored six from non starters.
• It was a quick and clean game with neither team committing more than 10 turnovers and each team with just 12 fouls. UCM was at the line 12 times, but five were in the final 1:20 of the game. 
• The Cardinals came storming out getting back-to-back threes for an 8-2 lead just four minutes into the game. 
• William Jewell led for the entire first half and seemed to have an answer for each Mule run. UCM cut the lead to one, 10-9, with a jumper from Lowrance, but there were the Cardinals to answer with a three. 
• WJC got the lead to 10, their largest of the game, with a Keith Hayes jumper with 3:34 left to play, but Jafar Kinsey and Blake Spellman each hit a triple UCM went into the break trailing by five, 41-36.
• The second half started with consecutive threes from Matt Wilkinson and Lowrance and the Mules had their first lead, 42-41. From there the team's traded baskets with no team getting a lead of more than four.
• Spellman made it a four-point game, 73-69 with 2:25 to play, but was answered just 10 seconds later when Hayes quickly pulled up for a three of his own. 
• A James Byrd layup made it 75-72, but the Cardinals tied on their next possession, hitting their 14th three of the game.
• Central Missouri regained the lead at the foul line when Brandon Emmert grabbed and offensive rebound and went 1-2 at the stripe. The Cardinals went cold their final four possessions with three turnovers and a missed layup.

It Was Over When...
• This one went down to the wire. Jafar Kinsey made it a 78-75 game with four seconds left, but there was somehow still enough time for two Cardinal possessions. They tried two full court passes and couldn't connect on either and the Mules survived with a 78-75 final.

Mules Stat Leaders
• Blake Spellman led all Mule scorers with 17 points. He knocked in five three-pointers and dished out five assists.
• Jakob Lowrance was close to a double-double with 14 points and eight rebounds.
• James Byrd sliced and diced his way to 13 points.
• Jafar Kinsey scored 10 while grabbing four rebounds.
• Brandon Emmert scored six off the bench with five rebounds. Matt Wilkinson added seven boards. 

For the Cardinals
• Keith Hayes finished with a game-high 23 points and passed out eight assists. He was 5-8 from three.
• Eysan Wiley added 18 points with nine rebounds and three blocks.
• Nick Bradley scored 11 and Byron Harp 10.
• Jackson Golightly scored all six bench points for WJC.

News and Notes
• The Mules have reached 70 points in all three games so far.
• Blake Spellman continues his torrid start has he's gone 15-25 from the floor and 11-19 from three to start the year. He eclipsed 250 points in the win.
• This is the third time in five years the Mules have started 3-0 under Coach Karleskint. They lost the third game of the season each of the last years.
• UCM turned the ball over just six times. They had three such games last year with three or fewer turnovers.

Up Next
• The Mules will turnaround to take on Illinois-Springfield tomorrow afternoon with a 4 p.m. tipoff. Once again Johnson Country Cancer Foundation will be on hand to collection donations in support of No Shave November, an initiative the Mules are taking part in to raise awareness and funds for cancer research.