Box Score WARRENSBURG, Mo. – A cold shooting stretch late in the first half allowed defending NCAA Division II national champion Central Missouri to break free from Missouri S&T Tuesday night, as the Mules knocked off the Miners 93-70.

Missouri S&T controlled matters over the first ten minutes of the contest and held a 26-21 lead after Zach Ellis (St. Louis, Mo./Whitfield School)' driving layup at the 9:43 mark.  After the Mules rallied back to take the lead at 30-28 on two free throws by Jordan Epps, S&T took the advantage back on a three-point play by Marcus Walden (Augusta, Ga./Academy of Richmond Co.) with 4:08 to go in the half.

However, the basket by Walden turned out to be the only made field goal by the Miners after Ellis' basket that had given S&T its five-point lead.  The Miners missed 13 of their final 14 shots from the floor in the opening half, as the Mules outscored 26-5 over the final 9:43 and 17-0 after Walden's three-point play.

The Miners, who made nine of their first 17 field goal attempts, finished the first half at 32.3 percent to the Mules' 53.6 percent from the floor.  Central's hot shooting continued after the intermission, as it made six of its first seven shots to extend the lead to 21. S&T got the margin down to 15 with 13:44 to play but could get no closer.

UCM shot 70.8 percent from the field in the final 20 minutes and finished the night at 61.5 percent to S&T's 37.1 percent.  The Miners committed only nine turnovers in the game, but were outrebounded 39-34 by the Mules.  Central also made 10 three-point baskets to three for the Miners, all of which came in the first eight minutes of play.

Ellis led three Miners in double figures with 19 points, while Desmond Buerge (Carthage, Mo./Carthage) finished with 16 and Walden with 15.  Walden also led S&T with eight rebounds.

Rakeem Dickerson and T.J. White both had 17 points and recorded double-doubles for the Mules (3-0), as Dickerson added 10 assists and White had a game-high 12 rebounds.

The Miners, now 1-1 on the season, will wrap up their two-game road trip Wednesday when they face UMKC in an exhibition game at 7:05 p.m.