TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Central Missouri Mules (9-6, 4-5) defeated the Northeastern State RiverHawks (6-10, 1-9) by a final score of 55-45 on Thursday night inside the NSU Event Center in Tahlequah to extend their winning streak to four in a row.   
 
The Mules led by a pair at the break limiting Northeastern State to 30 percent shooting from the floor as freshman Corey Skillman Jr. led UCM with a game-high 14 points connecting on 5-of-7 shots from the field including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc adding two rebounds helping UCM outscore the RiverHawks 18-17 in bench points.
 
Freshman Tim Jordan Jr. (11 points, three rebounds, and two assists) and guard Jalen Knott (10 points, seven rebounds, and two assists) also finished the contest in double figures as the Mules outshot NSU by a margin of 40-35 percent overall including 36-29 percent from three-point range for good measure.
 
Tulsa, Okla. native Caleb Nero had nine points and three assists while redshirt senior Jordan Hayes ended the contest with a game-high eight rebounds, six points, three assists, and two steals respectively. Forward Keith Kiner III (four rebounds) and junior Jack Chapman contributed two points each, plus forward Yafet Haile grabbed a career-high seven rebounds in the winning effort.
 
UCM returns to the court on Saturday, Jan. 20, as they continue MIAA play on the road against the Rogers State Hillcats with tip-off scheduled for 3:30 p.m. inside the Claremore Expo Center in Claremore, Okla.