TOPEKA, Kan. – No. 3 Central Missouri Mules (24-9, 14-5 MIAA) defeated No. 6 Rogers State Hillcats (21-11, 13-6 MIAA) by a final score of 88-77, Saturday, March 14, during the opening round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Central Regional, inside Lee Arena on the campus of Washburn, in Topeka.  
 
The Mules opened the game on an 8-0 run with back-to-back triples from All-MIAA Defensive and Third Team selection Kyran Tilley (15 points, four rebounds, and three assists) and sophomore Jake Fritz, followed by a layup from Trinell Parker (six points, five rebounds, and two assists).
 
Fritz, a native of Overland Park, Kan., led all scorers in the opening 20 minutes of play with 11 points on 3-of-5 shooting from the floor as Central Missouri led by as many as nine in the half, but trailed 38-37 at the break.
 
After the first media timeout of the second half, the Mules went on a 9-0 run, capped off by a triple from Tilley, before leading by as many as 20 with a three from All-MIAA Second Team selection Jevon Hill (13 points, a game-high six boards, and a career-best three assists) with just over five minutes to play.
 
Central Missouri would not be denied in the ballgame, as the Mules win their first NCAA tournament game since the 2014-15 campaign, making it their largest margin of victory since the opening round contest of the 2013-14 installment when the Mules defeated Arkansas Tech 56-44, en route to the program's fourth overall national title.
 
Fritz led all scorers with a career-high 20 points, on 6-of-9 from the field, including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc, adding two steals as the Mules had four players finish in double figures overall.
 
D2CCA (Division Two Conference Commissioners Association) All-Central Region and MIAA Player of the Year Lazerek Houston finished the game with 19 points, a game-high seven assists, and four rebounds.
 
The Mules' bench outscored Rogers State's by a margin of 15-9, thanks to eight points from Carter Kaifes, while forward Noah Martin had five points, and Aurora, Colo. native Kyree Polk added a pair for good measure.
 
No. 3 Central Missouri will take on No. 2 Oklahoma Baptist Bison (28-3, 20-2 GAC) Sunday, March 15, with tip-off slated for 5:00 p.m. inside Lee Arena in Topeka, Kan.