HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State moved to 15-6 overall and 7-5 in the MIAA with a 61-49 loss to Central Missouri on Saturday (Jan. 31). The Mules moved to 17-7 overall and 8-4 in the MIAA with the result and swept the regular season series between the teams.
 
Central Missouri took the lead for good at the 5:51 mark of the first half. With an 8-0 run in the final 1:10 of the first half, the Mules took a 10-point lead to the locker room, 27-17.
 
The Tigers made two surges at the Mules within the first 10 minutes of the second half. They opened the second half with 5-0 burst, all from Jahvari Martino with a two and a three. UCM erased the burst and led by 10 again, but FHSU went on a 6-0 run to get the margin down to four, 40-36, at the 11:31 mark. But the Mules responded once again and took their lead out to 11 with just under eight minutes to play.
 
The Tigers would get within four points one more time at the 4:07 mark, but a 3-point field goal by Jevon Hill put another dent in the chance at a comeback. Martino made the last basket for FHSU at 3:34 remaining before UCM closed the game on a 7-0 run to win by 12.
 
Martino and Lucas Hammeke led the Tigers with 11 points each, while Dan Mukuna added 10 and pulled down a team-high six rebounds. Martino and Muhamed Kante each had three assists.
 
The Tigers shot just 37.5 percent overall for the game. The Mules shot 43.1 percent and hit nine 3-point field goals. UCM also had a 19-9 advantage in points off turnovers.
 
Trinell Parker led Central Missouri with 17 points, followed by Lazerek Houston with 16 and Hill with 11. Houston also led the Mules in rebounds (8) and assists (6).
 
The Tigers look to bounce back on a road trip to Oklahoma and Arkansas next week. The Tigers will face Northeastern State in Tahlequah on Thursday night (Feb. 5) before playing at Arkansas-Fort Smith for the first time in program history on Saturday (Feb. 7).