January 3, 2022-Emporia State hit a season high 19 three-pointers on the way to a 91-59 victory over Central Missouri in Warrensburg on Monday night. It is the biggest margin of victory for the Hornets over the Mules in the 117 game series.
The game was close over the first 13 minutes with 11 ties and two lead changes. With Central Missouri leading 19-18, the Hornets went on a 10-0 run to take the lead for good.
Tray Buchanan started the run with a three-pointer at the 6:50 mark and following a
Mayuom Buom steal
Jumah'Ri Turner drilled another three to make it 24-19 with 6:16 left. Buchanan missed a pair of free throws with 5:20 left but got his own rebound off the second, hit a three and was fouled and converted the four point play to give Emporia State a 28-19 lead with 5:17 remaining in the half.
Kaden Evans hit a three with five seconds left to make it 40-27 before Koray Gilbert hit a free throw with 4.5 seconds left to make it 40-28 at the half.
The Hornets scored the first six points out of the break on an old fashioned three-point play from Buom and a three-pointer from Turner to go up 46-28 just 95 seconds into the second half. An 11-2 run capped by another three-pointer from Evans made it 62-35 with 14:47 left in the game. Buchanan connected on his sixth three-pointer of the night with 7:10 left and then got a steal on the defensive end and was fouled 16 seconds later. He hit both free throws to give the Hornets their biggest lead of the night at 82-46 with 6:48 remaining.
For the night Emporia State went 31 of 53 (58.5%) from the field and was 19 of 34 (55.9%) from beyond the arc. The Mules were just 19 of 50 (38.0%) from the field overall and just two of 13 (15.4%) from the three-point line and 19 of 31 (61.3%) from the free throw line. The Hornets had just five turnovers on the night with the only one of the second half coming when they let the shot clock expire with under ten seconds left.
Tray Buchanan led five Hornets in double figures with 27 points and while
Jumah'Ri Turner scored 20 with a career high six three pointers.
Kaden Evans scored 12 while
Mayuom Buom and
Brooks Haddock each scored 11 points.
Emporia State is back in action on Thursday when they play host to Missouri Western. Tip-off from White Auditorium is set for 7:30 p.m.
NOTES:
With his 20 points
Jumah'Ri Turner now has 1,046 points and passed Dennis Supple (1,041 points from 1970-74) for 22nd on the Hornets all-time scoring list.
