Mules Basketball Continues MIAA Play at Northeastern State Thursday, Arkansas-Fort Smith Saturday

Game 23: Central Missouri Mules (11-11, 6-7 MIAA) vs Northeastern State RiverHawks (13-9, 7-6 MIAA)
Thursday, Feb. 13 | 7:30 p.m. | Tahlequah, Okla. (NSU Event Center)
Radio: 1450 KOKO & 98.5 The BAR (Greg Hassler)
Live Stats | Live Video | RiverHawks Roster | Northeastern State Season Stats | Series History

Game 24: Central Missouri Mules (11-11, 6-7 MIAA) vs Arkansas-Fort Smith Lions (9-13, 3-10 MIAA)
Saturday, Feb. 15 | 3:00 p.m. | Fort Smith, Ark. (Stubblefield Center)
Radio: 1450 KOKO & 98.5 The BAR (Greg Hassler)
Live Stats | Live Video | Lions Roster | Arkansas-Fort Smith Season Stats | Series History

UCM Men's Basketball Game Notes (PDF) | 2024-25 Mules Basketball Roster | 2024-25 Mules Basketball Season Stats | MIAA Men's Basketball

TIP OFF

Central Missouri Mules basketball continues conference on the road against the Northeastern State RiverHawks (13-9, 7-6 MIAA) Thursday, Feb. 13, beginning at 7:30 p.m. inside the NSU Event Center in Tahlequah, Okla. before taking on the Arkansas-Fort Smith Lions (9-13, 3-10 MIAA) Saturday, Feb. 15, beginning at 3:00 p.m. inside the Stubblefield Center in Fort Smith, Ark.
The Mules fell to No. 1 Washburn Icbaods by a final score of 83-60 on Saturday, Feb. 8, inside Lee Arena in Topeka, Kan.
This is the 119th season of Central Missouri Basketball as the Mules are the third winningest program in Division II with 1,774 victories having won two NCAA Men's National Championships (1984 & 2014) and four National Championships (1937 & 1938 NAIB) overall.

ON THE AIR

Both games will be broadcasted on 98.5 The Bar, 1450 KOKO, and warrensburgradio.com with Voice of the Mules Greg Hassler on the call with coverage beginning at 7:30 p.m. Thursday night in Tahlequah followed by Saturday afternoon's coverage from Fort Smith, Ark. scheduled at 3:00 p.m. inside the Stubblefield Center.
Both contests will also be available on a pay-per-view basis through the MIAA Network with coverage beginning at 7:30 p.m. Thursday night and 3:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon.

MEET THE MULES

Adam Bohac enters his second season as head coach of the Mules after finishing last season with a 13-15 overall record including 8-14 in the MIAA highlighted by two All-Conference performers in Tim Jordan Jr. (Honorable Mention) and Jordan Hayes (All Defensive Team).
The Mules are coming into the 2024-25 campaign with seven of their 14 student-athletes having never stepped on the court for UCM.
Central Missouri returns six players from last year's team including guard Corey Skillman Jr. while returning forwards Tim Jordan Jr., Jack Chapman, Yafet Haile, Noah Martin, and Josh Nwankwo.
The Mules brought in Division I transfer KJ Lee (Western Illinois), plus, Division II additions in DeAirius Barker (Charleston), Eain Mowat (Southern Nazarene), and Elijah Farr (Lincoln).
Central Missouri added three freshmen in guards Kyran Tilley (Louisville, Ky.) and Jake Fritz (Overland Park, Kan.), plus, forward Kyree Polk (Denver, Colo.).

LAST TIME OUT

The Central Missouri Mules (11-11, 6-7 MIAA) fell to No. 1 Washburn Ichabods (22-0, 13-0 MIAA) by a final score of 83-60 on Saturday, Feb. 8, inside Lee Arena in Topeka.
The Ichabods led by a dozen at the break and never relinquished en route to their 22^nd win of the season led by a game-high 18 points from Brayden Shorter.
Central Missouri was paced offensively by freshman Kyran Tilley's 16 points, going 5-of-10 from the floor including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc adding a team-best six assists, five rebounds and four steals on the afternoon.
Oklahoma City, Okla. native Josh Nwankwo had 11 points on 5-of-10 attempts adding five boards and a team-high two blocks while guards KJ Lee (team-best seven rebounds) and DeAirius Barker each contributed nine points for good measure.
Graduate student Elijah Farr had six points and three boards, plus Corey Skillman Jr. ended the game with five points and Overland Park, Kan. native Jack Chapman added five rebounds and four points.

UCM BY THE NUMBERS

Through 22 contests this season, the Mules are averaging 62.7 points per game while shooting 41.8 percent from the field, including 32.7 percent from beyond the arc and 71.5 percent from the charity stripe.
Central Missouri is averaging 32 rebounds, 10.8 assists, 7.5 steals, and 2.7 blocks per contest so far this season.
The Mules are paced offensively by senior DeAirius Barker who averages 12 points and 2.2 rebounds per game. The Cincinnati, Ohio native has recorded double-digit scoring in 14 games this season including a career-high 35 against Illinois-Springfield (Nov. 26) going 10-of-16 from the floor and 5-of-8 from behind the arc.
Kansas City, Mo. native Elijah Farr leads Central Missouri with 127 total rebounds and 17 blocks on the year while averaging 5.8 boards per contest adding 8.6 points per game. Farr is the lone player to start all 22 games this season and recorded back-to-back double-double performances at Missouri Western (Jan. 23) and Northwest Missouri (Jan. 25).
Senior Jack Chapman tops the Mules shooting 50.5 percent from the floor going 52-of-103 overall including 8-of-29 from beyond the arc scoring 129 points and grabbing 92 rebounds while recording four double-digit scoring performances highlighted by an 18-point outing against Tabor (Dec. 1).
Louisville, Ky. native Kyran Tilley has started 18 games for the Mules averaging 9.5 points and 2.2 rebounds per game while adding a team-best 53 assists highlighted by 13 double-digit scoring performances including a season and game-high 21 points against Fort Hays State (Dec. 5).
Sophomore Tim Jordan Jr. is fourth on the team with 179 points averaging 8.1 points per contest adding 63 boards and 20 assists in 22 games this season highlighted by 10 double-digit outings including a season-high 19 against Maryville (Nov. 13).
After being sidelined last season due to injury, forward Josh Nwankwo averages 6.5 points and 4.2 rebounds per game while collecting a team-high 36 steals. The Oklahoma City, Okla. native is one of five Mules to appear in all 22 contests in 2024-25 highlighted by a pair of 20-point outings against Emporia State (Jan. 2) and Newman (Jan. 16).
Freshman Jake Fritz has appeared in 19 games this season averaging 4.7 points and 2.3 boards per contest while scoring double-figures in five games including a season-best 13 against Texas Permian Basin (Dec. 17).
O'Fallon, Mo. native KJ Lee averages 4.5 points and 3.3 boards per contest with three double-digit scoring performances on the year including a season-best 17 points against Bemidji State (Nov. 8).

SERIES HISTORY VS. NORTHEASTERN STATE

Thursday night's contest in Tahlequah will be the 17th all-time meeting between the RiverHawks and Central Missouri dating back to the 2012-13 season with the Mules leading the series 9-7 overall.
UCM won both meetings a season ago including a 55-45 (Jan. 18) win in Tahlequah led by Tim Jordan Jr.'s game-high 11 points adding three rebounds and two assists for good measure.

SERIES HISTORY VS. ARKANSAS-FORT SMITH

Saturday afternoon's contest in Fort Smith will be the fourth all-time meeting between the Lions and Central Missouri and the first ever meeting as conference opponents.
The most recent matchup between the Mules and UAFS came in November of 2016 when the Lions won 82-75 inside the Stubblefield Center as guard Spencer Reaves led UCM with a game-high 22 points adding three boards and three assists.

UP NEXT FOR THE MULES

Central Missouri continues MIAA play hosting the Rogers State Hillcats (13-7, 7-4 MIAA) Thursday, Feb. 20, with tip-off slated for 7:30 p.m. inside the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center in Warrensburg.

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