WARRENSBURG, Mo. – Seventeenth-ranked Central Missouri capitalized on an 8-0 run to turn a one-point margin into a nine-point lead as the Mules held off Pittsburg State to a 62-52 victory Thursday (Jan. 8).
 
UCM (13-2, 4-2 MIAA) led just 48-47 after Dakota Jones' 3-pointer for Pitt State (7-6, 3-2 MIAA), but the Mules held the Gorillas scoreless over the next 5:21 to surge back in front by nine, 56-47, with 4:10 to go.
 
Pitt State could get no closer than six points of UCM down the stretch.
 
Jones, a Warrensburg native, paced the Gorillas with 13 points, while Connor Kjer finished with 11 points and Josiah Gustafson chipped in with 10.
 
Preston Brunz led a balanced UCM offensive attack with 14 points, while Dillon Deck added 13 points and Jordan Epps finished with 12.
 
The Gorillas will return to action Saturday (Jan. 10) when they travel to St. Joseph, Mo., to face Missouri Western at 3:30 p.m.