No. 2 Mules Basketball Begins 2026 MIAA Basketball Championships Thursday in Quarterfinal

TIP OFF

No. 2 Central Missouri Mules (23-8, 14-5 MIAA) begin the 2026 MIAA Men's Basketball Championships in the Quarterfinals on Thursday, March 5, with tip-off slated for 8:15 p.m. inside historic Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City, Mo. The Mules will take on the winner of No. 7 Missouri Southern Lions (16-12, 10-9 MIAA) vs No. 10 Northwest Missouri Bearcats (15-15, 8-11 MIAA) in their opening round contest.
Three Mules earned All-MIAA honors as announced by the conference office on Tuesday, March 5. Guard Lazerek Houston became the first player in MIAA history to be named the Player and Freshman of the Year, while earning First Team honors. Forward Jevon Hill was named to the All-MIAA Second Team, plus sophomore Kyran Tilley earned All-MIAA Defensive and Third Team selections for good measure.
Central Missouri is ranked third in the latest NCAA-II Central Regional Rankings, released by the NCAA on Wednesday, March 4.
The Mules capped off the regular season with a pair of home victories over Missouri Southern (95-69) and Pittsburg State (78-61), becoming just the second NCAA Division II program to eclipse 1,800 victories.
Central Missouri enters play with the second-most wins in NCAA Division II men's basketball history with 1,801 victories, having won two NCAA Men's DII National Championships (1984 & 2014) and four championships (1937 & 1938 NAIB) overall.

ON THE AIR

Each 2026 MIAA Men's Basketball Championship contest will be available on a pay-per-view basis through the MIAA Network, with coverage of Thursday's quarterfinal contest beginning at 8:15 p.m. inside historic Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City, Mo.
You can also tune in to the UCM Sports Radio Network on 1450 AM KOKO, 92.1 FM, and 98.5 FM 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.

UCM ATHLETICS TO HOST PREGAME GATHERINGS FOR MULES & JENNIES BASKETBALL AT MIAA TOURNAMENT

University of Central Missouri Athletics will be hosting pregame gatherings for all Mules and Jennies fans prior to tip-off of each Mules and Jennies Basketball game at the MIAA Tournament, which begins for UCM on Thursday, March 5, inside historic Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City, Mo.
John's Big Deck will host the Cardinal & Black Fund Pregame Fan Headquarters before every Mules and Jennies game. All UCM fans are welcome. John's Big Deck is located at 928 Wyandotte Street in downtown Kansas City, Mo., which is approximately a 2-minute drive or a 9-minute walk from Municipal Auditorium. The gatherings will be on the second floor and will feature an appetizer spread. Fans can also purchase additional food and/or beverages.
The opening gatherings of the week will be on Thursday from 11 a.m. to noon, prior to the Jennies' quarterfinal contest at noon, and from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., prior to the Mules' quarterfinal game at 8:15 p.m.
If either team, or both teams, advance to the semifinals on Saturday, March 7, pregame gatherings will take place at the same time and place as on Thursday.
Should the Mules and/or Jennies advance to the MIAA Tournament Championship game on Sunday, March 8, the pregame gathering will be from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at John's Big Deck.

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".

CENTRAL MISSOURI BY THE NUMBERS

The Mules come into play at the 2026 MIAA Men's Basketball Championship with 23-8, 14-5 in MIAA play, averaging 81.5 points per game while shooting 48.3 percent from the field, including 39.3 percent from beyond the arc and 71.8 percent from the charity stripe.
Central Missouri averages 36.8 rebounds, 15.5 assists, 7.1 steals, and 3.3 blocks per contest.
Four Mules are averaging double-digit scoring this season, including MIAA Player and Freshman of the Year Lazerek Houston (20.8 points, five assists, and 4.1 rebounds), All-MIAA Second Team selection Jevon Hill (14.5 points and 5.5 rebounds), All-MIAA Defensive Team and MIAA Third Team member Kyran Tilley (12.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists), and Omaha, Neb. native Trinell Parker (11.5 points and 5.4 boards).
Heading into play Thursday night, Houston is top-10 in the country in field goals made (234) and points scored (646). The freshman has recorded five 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 108, 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.

MULES AT THE MIAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

The Mules are making their 41^st appearance at the MIAA Men's Basketball Championships in 2026, and their first back-to-back trip since the 2017 and 2018 tournaments.
Central Missouri enters play Thursday night with an overall record of 37-33 at the MIAA Men's Basketball Championships, while being 18-13 in Kansas City.
The Mules are 19-20 in the quarterfinal round, following last season's 67-61 loss to No. 2 Fort Hays State on Thursday, March 6.