The Mules improve to 3-0 with a win over the Miners.  (photo/UCM Athletics)

The Mules improve to 3-0 with a win over the Miners. (photo/UCM Athletics)

The defending Division II national champion Central Missouri men’s basketball team remained undefeated, after using a bigĀ first half run to leadĀ them to a 93-70 win over Missouri S&T on Tuesday night at the UCM Multipurpose Building. Missouri S&T is 1-1 on the season, the Mules, 3-0. Marcus Walden gave Missouri S&T a 31-30 lead on a layup and one with 4:08 to play in the half, but UCM closed the half on a 17-0 run to lead 47-31 at the intermission.

UCM shot 61 percent from the floor, 32-of-52, including 10-of-18 from three-point range for 55 percent. The Mules were 19-of-31 at the foul line for 61 percent. RakeemĀ Dickerson and TJ White led UCM with 17 points apiece.

The Mules held Missouri S&T to 37 percent shooting from the floor, 26-of-70, and 18 percent from beyond the arc, 3-of-16. The Miners were 15-of-19 at the charity stripe for 78 percent. Zach Ellis led three Miners in double figures with a game-high 19 points. Desmond Buerge had 16 points and Walden added 15 points and a team-high nine rebounds.