RV Mules Basketball Begins 2026 Hosting Emporia State Thursday

New Year's with the Mules
Game 16: Emporia State Hornets (4-7, 0-2 MIAA) vs RV Central Missouri Mules (11-4, 2-1 MIAA)
Thursday, Jan. 1 | 7:30 p.m. | Warrensburg, Mo. (Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center)
Radio: 1450 KOKO & 98.5 The BAR (Greg Hassler & Kim Anderson)
Live Stats | Live Video | Hornets Roster | Emporia State 2025-26 Season Stats | Series History

2025-26 Central Missouri Mules Basketball Game Notes (PDF) | 2025-26 Mules Basketball Roster | 2025-26 Central Missouri Basketball Season Stats | NABC Top 25 Poll

TIP OFF

The (Receiving Votes) Central Missouri Mules begin the 2026 calendar year hosting the Emporia State Hornets, during New Year's with the Mules on Thursday, Jan. 1, at 7:30 p.m. inside the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center in Warrensburg.
Central Missouri enters play Thursday receiving two votes in the latest NABC (National Association of Basketball Coaches) Poll.
The Mules capped off the 2025 portion of their schedule with a convincing 110-63 victory over the Maryville Saints on Sunday, Dec. 21, inside the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center in Warrensburg, where Central Missouri reset the program record of three-pointers made in a game with 22.
The Mules enter play with the second-most wins in NCAA Division II men's basketball history with 1,789 victories, having won two NCAA Men's DII National Championships (1984 & 2014) and four championships (1937 & 1938 NAIB) overall.

ON THE AIR

Thursday night's game will be available on a pay-per-view basis through the MIAA Network with coverage beginning at 7:30 p.m. inside the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center in Warrensburg.
You can also tune in to 1450 KOKO & 98.5 The Bar or online at WarrensburgRadio.com with Voice of the Mules Greg Hassler and UCM Athletics Hall of Famer Kim Anderson on the call.

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.).
The Mules have adopted the acronym #Family as their team motto, which means "Forget About Me, I Love You"

UCM BY THE NUMBERS

The Mules come into play Thursday evening with an overall record of 11-4, 2-1 in MIAA play, averaging 81.9 points per game while shooting 48.6 percent from the field, including 41.1 percent from beyond the arc and 71.5 percent from the charity stripe.
Central Missouri averages 36.1 rebounds, 15.7 assists, 7.3 steals, and 3.1 blocks per contest.
Three Mules are averaging double-digit scoring this season, including freshman Lazerek Houston (20.1 points, 4.8 assists, and four rebounds), forward Jevon Hill (13.9 points and 5.1 rebounds), and reigning MIAA Freshman of the Year Kyran Tilley (13.5 points, 3.8 assists, and 3.5 rebounds).
Heading into play Thursday night, Houston is top five in the country in points scored (302) and field goals made (110), while posting the seventh-most assists with 73. The freshman has recorded two double-double performances on the year, against No. 10 Colorado School of Mines (35 points, 11 assists, five rebounds, and four steals) and Drury (13 points, 10 assists, five boards, and two steals).
Hill, a native of Wichita, Kan., leads the nation in three pointers made with 51, highlighted by a career-high 30 points, going a career-best 10-of-12 from the floor, including a career-high 9-of-11 from beyond the arc, adding five rebounds for good measure in the 89-67 victory at (Receiving Votes) Drury.

SERIES HISTORY

Emporia State: Thursday marks the 123rd all-time meeting between the Hornets and Central Missouri, with the Mules holding a 75-47 advantage, including a record of 51-17 in Warrensburg. A season ago, UCM won both contests, including a 48-45 victory inside the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center led by MIAA Honorable Mention selection DeAirius Barker's game-high 17 points, adding a team-best eight boards for good measure.

UP NEXT FOR THE MULES

The Mules continue MIAA play Wednesday, Jan. 7, as they take on the Northwest Missouri Bearcats (8-5, 1-1 MIAA) at 7:30 p.m., inside Bearcat Arena in Maryville.