EDMOND, Okla. - The Lincoln men's basketball team's perfect record took its first blemish of the season on Saturday (Dec. 2) as the Blue Tigers fell to Central Oklahoma, the No. 3 team in the National Association of Basketball Coaches' Division II poll, by a final score of 79-55.

The Blue Tigers held the Bronchos' field goal accuracy to under 50-percent, as UCO shot .491 overall on Saturday, and also limited UCO to .346 shooting from beyond the arc. The Blue Tigers were particularly sharp defensively in the second half as the Bronchos shot .323 over the final 20 minutes of the contest.

Lincoln was held to uncharacteristically low .375 overall and .364 long range shooting percentages. LU forced Central Oklahoma (7-0, 2-0 MIAA) to turn the ball over just six times, and UCO won the rebounding battle, 38-33. The two teams traded the lead four times during the first 10 minutes of the game, but a 12-4 run ended up giving the Bronchos the lead for good. 

Sam Rautins led the Blue Tigers with 13 points and grabbed three rebounds to go with an assist. DJ Richardson added 12 points, four boards and three assists while Elijah Farr finished the afternoon with 10 points, six rebounds, three assists and a block. Jose Roberto Tanchyn also collected six rebounds and chipped in four points to go with an assist. Franck Yetna, meanwhile, had six points, three rebounds, two steals and an assist.

Tyson Robinson provided three points and an assist, Bronson Borlace blocked a shot and scored three points, and Caleb Wright provided two points and a pair of rebounds. Jamar Madge, Jr. rounded out the scoring with two points, a steal and an assist. Peyton Williams pulled down five rebounds and Arash Yaqubi had two.

Lincoln, which is enjoying its best start to a season since 1984-85, fell to 5-1 overall and 1-1 in MIAA play.

The Blue Tigers will begin a five-game homestand on Wednesday (Dec. 6) by hosting Hannibal-LaGrange in an 8:00 p.m. CST non-conference contest.