No. 25 Mules Basketball Continues MIAA Play at Rogers State & Central Oklahoma

Game 27: No. 25 Central Missouri Mules (20-7, 11-4 MIAA) vs Rogers State Hillcats (16-8, 10-5 MIAA)
Thursday, Feb. 19 | 7:30 p.m. | Claremore, Okla. (Claremore Expo Center)
Radio: 1450 AM KOKO, 92.1 FM, and 98.5 FM The BAR (Greg Hassler)
Live Stats | Live Video | Hillcats Roster | Rogers State 2025-26 Season Stats | Series History

Game 28: No. 25 Central Missouri Mules (20-7, 11-4 MIAA) vs Central Oklahoma Bronchos (15-12, 8-7 MIAA)
Saturday, Feb. 21 | 3:30 p.m. | Edmond, Okla. (Hamilton Field House)
Radio: 1450 AM KOKO, 92.1 FM, and 98.5 FM The BAR (Greg Hassler)
Live Stats | Live Video | Bronchos Roster | Central Oklahoma 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

No. 25 Central Missouri Mules continue MIAA play with a pair of road games beginning Thursday, Feb. 19, as they take on the Rogers State Hillcats, with tip-off slated for 7:30 p.m., inside the Claremore Expo Center, before a matchup with the Central Oklahoma Bronchos Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m., inside Hamilton Fieldhouse in Edmond.
For the first time since the 2017-18 season, the Mules are ranked in the latest NABC (National Association of Basketball Coaches) Poll, announced on Tuesday, Feb. 17. Central Missouri is the 25th ranked team after winning a pair of games last week, highlighted by an 80-52 victory over previously ranked Arkansas-Fort Smith this past Saturday afternoon in Warrensburg.
For the fourth consecutive week, and third time this season, including back-to-back weeks, Mules freshman guard Lazerek Houston was named to the MIAA Athlete of the Week, announced by the conference office on Monday, Feb. 16. The Lincoln, Neb. native led the Mules to a pair of home victories recording 39 points, adding nine assists, while shooting 57 percent from the floor and 50 percent from three-point range.
Along with being named the back-to-back MIAA Athlete of the Week, guard Lazerek Houston was named to the Bevo Francis Award Top-50 Watch List, announced by the Small College Basketball National Awards Committee on Sunday, Feb. 15.
Central Missouri enters play with the second-most wins in NCAA Division II men's basketball history with 1,798 victories, having won two NCAA Men's DII National Championships (1984 & 2014) and four championships (1937 & 1938 NAIB) overall.

ON THE AIR

Both games will be available on a pay-per-view basis through the MIAA Network, with Thursday's coverage against the Hillcats beginning at 7:30 p.m. in Claremore, before coverage of Saturday's game against the Bronchos will begin at 3:30 p.m. in Edmond.
You can also tune in to 1450 AM KOKO, 92.1 FM, and 98.5 FM The BAR or online at WarrensburgRadio.com with Voice of the Mules Greg Hassler on the call on the UCM Sports Radio Network.

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 25th-ranked team in the country comes into play Thursday with 20-7, 11-4 in MIAA play, averaging 82.1 points per game while shooting 48.7 percent from the field, including 40 percent from beyond the arc and 71 percent from the charity stripe.
Central Missouri averages 36.7 rebounds, 15.7 assists, 7.1 steals, and 3.2 blocks per contest.
Four Mules are averaging double-digit scoring this season, including freshman Lazerek Houston (21.3 points, 5.2 assists, and 4.1 rebounds), forward Jevon Hill (14.4 points and 5.4 rebounds), reigning MIAA Freshman of the Year Kyran Tilley (13.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists), and Omaha, Neb. native Trinell Parker (10.9 points and 5.4 boards).
Heading into play Thursday night, Houston is top-10 in the country in field goals made (210), points scored (575), and assists (141). The freshman has recorded four double-double performances on the year, highlighted by 13 points, a season-high 12 assists, adding a season-best seven rebounds and two steals during the 78-71 victory over Emporia State (Jan. 1).
Hill, a native of Wichita, Kan., leads the nation in three pointers made with 95, 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

Rogers State: The Hillcats and Central Missouri will meet for the ninth time on Thursday night, with Rogers State leading the all-time series 5-3. RSU took the lone meeting a season ago, with a 63-61 win on Thursday, Feb. 15, inside the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center in Warrensburg.
Central Oklahoma: Saturday marks the 27th all-time meeting between the Bronchos and Central Missouri, with Central Oklahoma winning three of the previous four meetings, including last season's matchup inside the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center by a final score of 64-62.

UP NEXT FOR THE MULES

The Mules continue MIAA play Wednesday, Feb. 25, as they host the Missouri Southern Lions (14-10, 8-7 MIAA), for Military Appreciation Night, with tip-off scheduled for 7:30 p.m., inside the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center in Warrensburg.

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Players Mentioned

#0 DeAirius Barker: G; 6' 0"; Senior

#5 Jake Fritz: G; 6' 3"; Sophomore

#21 Noah Martin: F; 6' 7"; Junior

#23 Kyree Polk: F; 6' 9"; Sophomore

#4 Kyran Tilley: G; 6' 1"; Sophomore

#1 Deadric Fikes: F; 6' 6"; Sophomore

#25 Carter Kaifes: F; 6' 6"; Freshman

#32 Trinell Parker: F; 6' 8"; Freshman

#7 Lazerek Houston: G; 6' 0"; Freshman

#15 Jevon Hill: F; 6' 9"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#0 DeAirius Barker
: 6' 0"; Senior
: G

#5 Jake Fritz
: 6' 3"; Sophomore
: G

#21 Noah Martin
: 6' 7"; Junior
: F

#23 Kyree Polk
: 6' 9"; Sophomore
: F

#4 Kyran Tilley
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: G

#1 Deadric Fikes
: 6' 6"; Sophomore
: F

#25 Carter Kaifes
: 6' 6"; Freshman
: F

#32 Trinell Parker
: 6' 8"; Freshman
: F

#7 Lazerek Houston
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: G

#15 Jevon Hill
: 6' 9"; Junior
: F