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The No. 1 Washburn Ichabods had their 22-game winning streak come to an end Saturday, falling 74-72 to Central Missouri on the road in Warrensburg.

 

 

Washburn returns to action on Thursday, hosting Arkansas-Fort Smith in Lee Arena at 7:30 p.m.

 

Washburn (22-1 overall, 12-1 MIAA) erased a double-digit second-half deficit and had an opportunity in the final seconds, but Central Missouri (18-7, 9-4) held on for the two-point win after dropping a double-overtime decision to the Ichabods at WU earlier in the season.

 

The Ichabods led for much of the first half and built their largest advantage at 16-4 after an early 9-0 run.

 

Junior Jack Bachelor helped pace the early surge with a pair of threes while sophomore Dillon Claussen and senior Bryson Smith attacked the rim to put Washburn in front.

 

Central Missouri answered with its perimeter shooting, knocking down nine first-half 3-pointers to flip the momentum.

 

A late triple in the closing seconds sent the Mules into the break with a 36-34 lead.

 

UCM pushed the margin to 12 pointsearly in the second half, stretching the lead to 47-35 behind continued outside shooting and second-chance opportunities.

 

Washburn chipped away midway through the half as Bachelor sparked a rally with a three and a transition layup, and sophomore Marcus Glock tied the game at 67 with a 3-pointer with 3:32 remaining.

 

Lazerek Houston responded with a three and later a fastbreak layup to give Central Missouri a 72-67 cushion inside the final two minutes.

 

Glock scored four straight at the free throw line to pull Washburn within 72-69, and after two Mule free throws, senior Sam Ungashick drilled a three with 15 seconds left to make it 74-72.

 

After a Central Missouri miss at the line on the next possession Washburn could not convert in the closing seconds.

 

Bachelor led Washburn with 18 points, while Claussen had 13 and Smith and Ungashick each had 10.

 

The Ichabods shot 43 percent from the field and went 18 of 22 at the free throw line.

 

Central Missouri shot 51 percent overall and hit 16 3-pointers.

 

Houston paced the Mules with 31 points, including five 3-pointers, as UCM used a 13-4 edge in second-chance points to offset Washburn's 30-16 advantage in the paint.