Complete Box Score

LAS VEGAS (Dec. 15) ­ Theo Jones scored six of 15 points during a key second-half run as No. 3-ranked Central Missouri remained unbeaten with a 71-60 win over No. 4 Seattle Pacific University Friday night in the first game of the High Desert Classic at the McDermott Center.

The Mules (8-0), off to their best start in 10 years, repelled an SPU rally midway through the second half to hand the Falcons their second straight loss to start a four-game road trip.

Dustin Bremerman (Sr., 6-4, Yakima, Wa./Eisenhower) scored 17 points to pace Seattle Pacific, which exhibited much the same form of Tuesday¹s loss at Cal State San Bernardino. The Falcons (4-3) shot 50 percent in the first half, when they recovered from a 10-0 deficit to lead 33-31 at the break.

In the second period, the Mules¹ defense intensified and they attacked the boards and the basket. Central Missouri shot 32 second-half free throws (making 22) and finished with a 44-29 rebounding advantage.

After back-to-back baskets by Bremerman sliced the CMU lead to 45-43, Jones fueled an 9-1 spurt during which he hit a three-pointer and three free throws. SPU got no closer than seven the rest of the way.

Alonzo Brooks and Wadale Williams each had 14 points for the Mules.

Marques Echols (Jr., 6-2, Seattle, Wa./Garfield) had 10 off the bench for the Falcons, who were just 8 for 12 at the line. They committed 22 turnovers.

SPU plays No. 15 Rollins in its final game of the tournament Saturday at 3.

CENTRAL MISSOURI 71, SEATTLE-PACIFIC 60
SEATTLE-PACIFIC (4-3) Bremerman,Dustin 7-14 2-2 17; Echols,Marques 4-10 0-0 10; Will,Rob 4-13 1-2 9; Diederichs,Rob 3-4 2-3 9; Lynch,Brian 3-7 2-2 9; Jackson,JoJay 2-6 0-0 5; Wardell,Adam 0-0 1-2 1; Matzen,Drew 0-2 0-0 0; Popovic,Filip 0-0 0-1 0; Larrieu,Brandon 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-56 8-12 60.
CENTRAL MISSOURI (8-0) Jones,Theo 3-9 7-9 15; Brooks,Alonzo 3-8 8-10 14; Williams,Wadale 3-10 8-8 14; Wright,Zack 5-13 0-0 10; Sommerset,Darryl 2-6 4-10 8; Stoker,Charles 1-2 2-2 4; Dudley,Fred 1-3 1-2 3; Frazier,Nathan 1-1 0-0 3; Taylor,Michael 0-1 0-0 0; Wollbrinck,Kevin 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-53 30-41 71.
Halftime-SPU 33, UCM 31. 3-point goals-SPU 6-19 (Echols,Marques 2-5; Jackson,JoJay 1-3; Diederichs,Rob 1-1; Bremerman,Dustin 1-4; Lynch,Brian 1-3; Matzen,Drew 0-2; Will,Rob 0-1), UCM 3-14 (Jones,Theo 2-5; Frazier,Nathan 1-1; Williams,Wadale 0-4; Wright,Zack 0-1; Sommerset,Darryl 0-1; Dudley,Fred 0-2). Fouled out--SPU-Bremerman,Dustin; Lynch,Brian, UCM-Wright,Zack. Rebounds-SPU 29 (Will,Rob 8), UCM 44 (Sommerset,Darryl 11). Assists-SPU 9 (Matzen,Drew 3), UCM 10 (Williams,Wadale 3). Total fouls-SPU 28, UCM 21. A-41