WARRENSBURG, Mo. - For the first time all season, the MIAA's highest scoring offense was held under 70 points as the Lincoln men's basketball team fell on the road to Central Missouri, 51-48, on Saturday (Jan. 16).

Lincoln (11-6, 7-4 MIAA) entered the weekend averaging an MIAA-best 83.9 points per game, but were held to just 16 in the first half as both teams defended well. The Blue Tigers were held to just 16 field goals overall and five from long range. Central Missouri (11-5, 5-5 MIAA) had a little more success from the floor, shooting .413 overall, but the Blue Tigers limited the Mules to just two made three-pointers in 15 attempts (.133).

A trey from Anthony Virdure gave Lincoln a 7-4 lead with 15:18 to play in the first half, but Central Missouri scored the next seven points to take a lead it would hold for nearly the rest of the game. The Mules went ahead by as many as 12 in the second half, but 14-2 run capped by a trey from Richie Lewis allowed Lincoln to knot the score at 34 with 9:17 remaining.

The Mules scored the next four points, but a three-pointer by Jaylon Smith pulled LU back to within one. After UCM hit a layup, Lewis hit another three on the opposite end of the court to tie the game back up at 40. That was as close as Lincoln would come, however, as the Mules scored six-straight points to re-take the lead for good.

Lewis and Virdure each tied for the team-high with 13 points apiece, with Lewis also grabbing nine rebounds and dishing two assists. Virdure, meanwhile, finished with a pair of rebounds and an assist. Smith added nine points, six boards and an assist while O'Shai Clark had a strong all-around performance with eight points, six boards, two steals, a pair of blocks and an assist.

Aaron Spudich came down with six rebounds to go with four points while Tacourrus Mattox made a free throw to round out the scoring. Mattox also grabbed three rebounds while Rod Ollison had one.

The Blue Tigers return home for their next two games, starting on Thursday (Jan. 16) with a 7:30 p.m. CST contest against Missouri Southern.