Mules Basketball Continues 2025-26 Season at Central Region Challenge

Game 4: (Receiving Votes) Minnesota State Mavericks (1-1, 0-0 NSIC) vs Central Missouri Mules (2-1, 0-0 MIAA)
Friday, Nov. 14 | 3:00 p.m. | Pittsburg, Kan. (John Lance Arena)
Live Stats | Live Video | Mavericks Roster | Minnesota State 2025-26 Season Stats | Series History

Game 5: Central Missouri Mules (2-1, 0-0 MIAA) vs Sioux Falls Cougars (0-0, 0-0 NSIC)
Saturday, Nov. 15 | 3:00 p.m. (CST) | Billings, Mont. (Alterowitz Gymnasium)
Live Stats | Live Video | Cougars Roster | Sioux Falls 2024-25 Season Stats | Series History

2025 Central Region Challenge Tournament Page | 2025-26 Mules Basketball Roster | 2025-26 Central Missouri Basketball Season Stats

TIP OFF

The Central Missouri Mules continue the 120^th season of play with a pair of games at the 2025 Central Region Challenge, beginning Friday, Nov. 14, against (Receiving Votes) Minnesota State before taking on the Sioux Falls (S.D.) Cougars Saturday, Nov. 15. Both contests are scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m. (CST), inside John Lance Arena on the campus of Pittsburg State, in Pittsburg, Kan.
The Mules went 2-1 this past weekend at the 2025 D2CCA Tip-Off Classic with victories over No. 10 Colorado School of Mines and New Mexico Highlands as Lazerek Houston and Jevon Hill were voted to the All-Tournament Team for their performances.
Central Missouri's Lazerek Houston was featured on ESPN SportsCenter's Top-10 plays list for his highlight dunk during the Mules' 96-84 victory over No. 10 Colorado School of Mines. The freshman ended the game with 35 points, 11 assists, five rebounds, and four steals.
Central Missouri enters play at the 2025 Central Region Challenge tied for the second-most wins in NCAA Division II men's basketball history with 1,800 victories, having won two NCAA Men's DII National Championships (1984 & 2014) and four championships (1937 & 1938 NAIB) overall.

ON THE AIR

The 2025 Central Region Challenge will be available on a pay-per-view basis through the MIAA Network with coverage beginning at 3:00 p.m. (CST), both Friday and Saturday, inside John Lance Arena on the campus of Pittsburg State.

MEET THE MULES

Adam Bohac enters his third season as head coach of the Mules after finishing the 2024-25 season with a 15-15 overall record, including 9-10 in the MIAA highlighted by two All-Conference performers in Kyran Tilley (2024-25 MIAA Freshman of the Year) and DeAirius Barker (Honorable Mention).
Central Missouri returns four players from last year's squad, including MIAA Freshman of the Year Kyran Tilley, Jake Fritz, Noah Martin, and Kyree Polk.
The Mules added six transfers to the roster, including three Division I transfers in Naz Brown (Coastal Carolina), AJ Lux (Bellarmine), and Jevon Hill (South Dakota), while adding Division II additions in Judah Sault (Belmont Abbey), Deadric Fikes (Newman), and Deshawne Crim (St. Thomas Aquinas College).
Central Missouri added three freshmen from the class of 2025 including forwards Carter Kaifes (Overland Park, Kan.) and Trinell Parker (Omaha, Neb.), plus, guard Lazerek Houston (Lincoln, Neb.).

UCM BY THE NUMBERS

The Mules are averaging 83 points per game while shooting 50 percent from the field, including 33.3 percent from beyond the arc and 71.9 percent from the charity stripe, through three games so far in the 2025-26 season.
Central Missouri averages 32.3 rebounds, 16.3 assists, 9.7 steals, and 3.3 blocks per contest so far in the 2025-26 campaign.
Three Mules are averaging double-digit scoring through three games this season, including freshman Lazerek Houston (27.7 points, 5.6 assists, four rebounds), forward Jevon Hill (17.3 points and 5.3 rebounds), and reigning MIAA Freshman of the Year Kyran Tilley (10.7 points, 4.3 assists, and 2.3 rebounds).

SERIES HISTORY

RV Minnesota State: Friday marks the second all-time meeting between the Mavericks and Central Missouri. The Mules won the previous meeting by a final score of 67-66 in the opening game of the 2014 Sanford Pentagon Showcase, Friday, Nov. 14, in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Sioux Falls (S.D.): This will be the third meeting between the Mules and Sioux Falls on Saturday afternoon inside John Lance Arena. Each team has split the all-time series, with the Cougars winning the most recent matchup, 73-70, in overtime during the 2018 MIAA Showcase inside Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City, Mo.

UP NEXT FOR THE MULES

The Mules continue the 2025-26 season hosting the Upper Iowa Peacocks (0-0, 0-0 GLVC) Thursday, Nov. 20, for Meet the Mules Night. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. (CST) inside the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center in Warrensburg.

Players Mentioned