TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Gaven Pinkley netted a career-high 34 points to lead Central Missouri Mules basketball to an 82-78 win at Northeastern State Thursday evening, Jan. 20, inside the NSU Event Center.

The Mules (8-7, 5-6 MIAA) are scheduled to take on Rogers State Saturday, Jan. 22, at 3:30 p.m. at the Claremore Expo Center in Claremore, Okla.

Pinkley, a redshirt junior from Hillsboro, Mo., scored his career-best 34 points on an impressive 13-of-15 shooting performance, including a 5-for-7 showing from three-point range. He also went 3-of-4 at the free-throw line.

Ja'Cor Nelson (16 points) and Koray Gilbert (12 points) also reached double digit points for the Mules, with Nelson also pulling down a team-best seven rebounds. Cameron Hunter added a team-high five assists.

UCM shot 60 percent (32-of-53) from the floor, 43 percent (6-of-14) from beyond-the-arc (6-of-14) and were 12-of-18 at the free-throw line (67 percent) for the game.
 
The RiverHawks (8-9, 3-8 MIAA) edged Central Missouri on the glass, 26-25, but UCM outscored Northeastern State in the paint, 38-24.

Christian Cook netted a game-best 29 points to lead the Riverhawks,  respectively.