December 19, 2020-Playing their third game in three days, Emporia State bounced back from their first regular season loss of the season and a poor shooting performance in the first half to post a 73-64 victory over Central Missouri on Saturday in White Auditorium.
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Mayuom Buom fast break dunk gave the Hornets an 18-10 lead with 9:49 left in the opening half. Emporia State would go the next six and a half minutes without a field goal. Central Missouri was not much better scoring just seven points in that span before
Gage McGuire finally hit a layup for the Hornets with 3:19 left in the half to give ESU a 21-17 lead. The Mules Ja'Cor Nelson and the Hornets
Austin Downing traded three-point baskets before UCM went on a 6-0 run to take a 26-24 lead with 1:05 remaining in the half.
Ben Smith hit a three-pointer from the right corner as time was expiring to send the Hornets to the locker room with a 27-26 lead.
The two teams combined to shoot just 18 of 57 (31.6%) from the field in the opening 20 minutes. The Hornets actually shot better from three-point range, hitting five of 16 trifectas but only three of 11 from inside the arc.
The Mules would score the first eight points of the second half to take a 34-27 lead 1:40 into the period. They still led 36-29 with 16:45 left when the Hornets went on a 10-0 run. McGuire had five of the ten points and capped the run with a hoop and harm three-point play to give the Hornets a 39-36 lead with 14:16 left in the game.
Gaven Pinkley tied the game at 44 with 11:38 left on a put back for the Mules. Emporia State then went on an 11-3 run and pushed the lead to double digits when
Mason Thiessen was fouled on a three-point attempt and hit all three from the charity stripe. Bailey hit three straight three-pointers with the shot clock under ten on the last two to give the Hornets a 67-56 lead with 3:30 left. Central Missouri would not get closer than nine points the rest of the way.
After shooting just 29.6% from the field in the first half, Emporia State went 13 of 20 from the field for 65% in the second half.
The Hornets put four players in double figures with
Dallas Bailey and
Austin Downing each scoring 16 points.
Jumah'Ri Turner scored 14 while
Gage McGuire had 13 points and ten rebounds for his first career double-double.
Emporia State will now have another 11 days off from competition before they play host to Central Oklahoma on December 30. Tip-off from White Auditorium is set for 4:00 p.m.
NOTES
Emporia State played without senior
Brenden Van Dyke, who aggravated a knee injury in Friday's exhibition game at Wichita State.
The win snapped a six game winning streak by the Mules in the series.
The Hornets are 4-1 in the MIAA for the first time since the 2010-11 season.
