Men's Basketball | 3/29/2014 5:33:25 PM

Kansas City, Mo. – Central Missouri defeated West Liberty 84-77 to win the second Men’s Basketball National Championship in the school’s Division II history. After seeing no one lead by more five for much of the half UCM closed out the game on a 6-2 run to ice the game.

Central Missouri knocked down 11 three pointers and out rebounded the Hilltoppers 44-36 in the game. The Mules shot .524 from the three-point line and got 18 offensive boards in the win.

Dillon Deck led the way with a double-double scoring 16 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. Daylen Robinson was three of five from behind the three points line dropping a game high 21 points.

Jordan Epps scored 11 points and Charles Hammork had nine points and a game high 12 rebounds while also dishing six assists. Preson Brunz also added nine points and TJ White added had seven rebounds.

The Mules went 30-5 on the season winning their last five straight after winning the MIAA regular season title.

Notes: The MIAA becomes the first conference in Division II to have teams win the Football and Men’s Basketball National Championships during the same school year after Northwest Missouri won the football title in December…The MIAA was the most recent conference to have teams win the title in football and basketball as in 2009 Northwest Missouri won the football championship and the Emporia State women’s basketball team also won the national title…That last two MIAA basketball teams to win the national title (UCM Men & ESU Women) did not win the conference tournament that season…It was the 30th anniversary of the last time that UCM won the nation title, winning the 1984 game over Saint Augustine’s 81-77 in Springfield, Mass.