by A career performance by sophomore guard Seth Youngblood (Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma) helped the UAFS Lions put a scare in defending NCAA Division II national champion University of Central Missouri on Saturday afternoon.
Youngblood made a career-high and school-record nine 3-pointers and scored a career-high and school single-game record 48 points as the Lions pushed the unbeaten and No. 10-ranked Mules to triple overtime before suffering a heart-breaking 111-106 nonconference loss at the Multipurpose Building in Warrensburg, Mo.
The loss snapped a two-game winning streak for the Lions (2-4), who were coming off wins against Bacone College (90-60) and Northeastern State (86-40). Central Missouri (5-0) survived its second overtime upset threat. Central Missouri beat Quincy 90-84 in overtime on Tuesday.
Central Missouri was the third nationally-ranked opponent UAFS has played this season. The Lions began the season with losses to No. 9-ranked Colorado-Colorado State (91-89 OT) and No. 3 Metro State (80-67).
Youngblood’s 48 points shattered the school’s single-game scoring mark of 35 points set by former Lions guard Josh Simmons against Lincoln University on Jan. 14, 2010. Youngblood’s previous career-high was 28 points set against Lubbock Christian last season on Feb. 1.
The Roland, Okla., native was 14-for-21 shooting from the field – he was 9-for-14 shooting from 3-point range – and was 11-for-13 shooting from the free-throw line. He also had 3 rebounds, 1 blocked shot and 1 steal.
Youngblood’s nine 3-pointers eclipsed the previous school record of eight set by former Lions guard Jake Toupal against Oklahoma Panhandle State on Jan. 5, 2012.
It was the second overtime game of the season for UAFS and the first triple overtime game for the Lions since joining the Division II ranks in the 2009. The 106 points scored by the Lions is tied for the eighth-most points scored by the team during the Division II era.
UAFS trailed 99-97 with 2 seconds left in the second overtime when freshman guard DaVaunta Thomas missed a layup, got his own rebound and scored to tie the game and force the third overtime.
Youngblood drained a 3-pointer to give UAFS a 102-99 lead, and after Central Missouri’s Rakeem Dickerson scored on a layup, Youngblood scored on a jumper to give the Lions a 104-101 lead with 3:14 left.
Dickerson scored on a layup and, a following a missed 3-pointer by Youngblood, was fouled and hit the second of two free throws to tie the game at 104 with 2:15 to play. Dickerson rebounded a missed shot by Thomas and was fouled by Thomas with 1:26 left. He made the first of the two free throw to give the Mules a 105-104 lead.
He missed the second free throw, but Sean O’Brien grabbed the rebound and scored on a jumper to push the Mules’ lead to 107-104 with 35 seconds left.
UAFS pulled within 107-106 on a layup by senior guard Blake Branham with 17 seconds, but UAFS was assessed a technical foul shortly after calling a 30 second timeout. Central Missouri’s Preston Brunz made both free throws for a 109-06 lead.
The Mules’ Tony Cochran was fouled by junior guard Dusan Stojanovic with 14 seconds left, and Cochran made one of two free throws to make it a four-point game. Youngblood missed a 3-pointer with 9 seconds left. Central Missouri’s Kyle Wolf grabbed the rebound and was fouled by senior forward Miha Glavas with 7 seconds left.
Wolf made the first free throw to extend the Mules’ lead to five points (111-106).
UAFS shot 52 percent from the field (34 for 66) – it was 17-for-25 shooting from 3-point range – and shot 66 percent from the free-throw line (21 for 32). Youngblood was one of three Lions to score in double-figures. Sophomore guard Alex Cooper had 22 points, while junior guard Josh Harmon had 13.
Glavas had 9 rebounds to lead the Lions, who were out-rebounded by 5 rebounds (42-37).
Central Missouri shot 52 percent from the field (37 for 71) – it was 7-for-19 shooting from 3-point range – and shot 68 percent from the free-throw line (30 for 44). Dickerson led the Mules with 19 points, while Dillon Deck had 18, TJ White 15, Brunz 14, Brennen Hughes 13, Wolf 11 and Brad Woodson 10.
Hughes had a team-high 9 rebounds to lead the Mules.
UAFS will resume nonconference play at 7 p.m. on Friday when it hosts Central Baptist College at the Stubblefield Center. It will be the first of two games in two days for the Lions, who will host the Ecclesia College Royals at 7 p.m. on Saturday at the Stubblefield Center for the annual Toy Toss Game to benefit the children of area needy families.
MEN
NO. 10 CENTRAL MISSOURI 111, UAFS 106 (3OT)
UAFS 38 42 10 9 7 — 106
Central Missouri 38 42 10 9 12 — 111
UAFS (2-4): Youngblood 48, Cooper 22, Harmon 13, Branham 9, Martin 5, Stojanovic 5, Thomas 2, Glavas 2
Central Missouri (6-0): Dickerson 19, Deck 18, White 15, Brunz 14, Hughes 13, Wolf 11, Woodson 10, Epps 7, O’Brien 3, Cochran 1
