WARRENSBURG - The Lincoln basketball teams split games Thursday with Central Missouri. The men won 70-63 in overtime and the women lost 66-41.
Lincolns' Anthony Virdure made a pair of free throws with 2.5 seconds to tie the game at 57 to send the men's game to overtime. Virdure and Jaylon Smith each had four points in overtime to help the Blue Tigers get their first win again the Mules since 2001-02. Central Missouri had won the previous past 18 meetings.
The Mules led the Blue Tigers 29-23 at halftime and were up 47-41 with 4:28 left in the half. Central Missouri held a 52-47 lead at the 1:23 mark. Kyle Wolf made one-of-two free throws with 12 seconds left before Virdure's free throws tied it.
Central Missouri was ranked 10th in the Central Region coming into the game.
Smith led the Blue Tigers with 27 points, and Virdure had 20, including scoring his 2,000th collegiate point in the win. Smith added a team-high nine rebounds.
The Lincoln men (15-11, 8-9 MIAA) play at Missouri Western next at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
III
The Lincoln women lost the early game 66-41 to Central Missouri. The Jennies led 13-7 after the first quarter, 30-20 at halftime and 44-35 after the third.
Khadijah Ellison led the Blue Tigers with 20 points and Hunter Yoakum added 17.
The Lincoln women (5-19, 4-13 MIAA) play at Missouri Western next at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.