WARRENSBURG, Mo. --  A great season for the SBU Bearcats came to an end on Tuesday night. The #7 Bearcats were defeated by the #6 Central Missouri Mules, 98-63

"It just wasn't our night. Our guys competed hard, but Central played really well. They were just a better team tonight," said head coach Jeff Guiot. "Things just didn't go our way. It's a life lesson. I told the kids after the game, we're gonna praise the Lord in good times and in bad. That's part of being a Christian."

A cold start hurt the Bearcats, as they didn't get their first basket until 5:20 had elapsed, when Brandon Burgette dropped in a layup. Unfortunately senior Nick Kovacevich, who his coach called "the heart and soul of the team,' re-injured his knee during the sequence and was lost for the game. By that point, UCM led 7-2.

The Mules (29-4) would extend their lead to 13 points, at 15-2 following a layup from Tremaine Luellen. Luellen would hit a three to push the UCM lead to 14 points at the 5:04 mark and UCM would lead 36-25 at the break.

The Bearcats committed 11 first half turnovers, including 5 early miscues before they could get on the scoreboard. They missed their first six shots, before shooting the rest of the half at 9 for 14. Their first half shooting percentage was 45% (9/20).

SBU was able to cut the deficit to eight points (43-35) with 16:35 left in the second half before Central would break the game open over the next eight minutes with a 34-14 run.

Senior D'Ante Harris led the Bearcats with 13 points while Matt Rogers had 10. Sanjay Watts led the Mules with 22 points. The Mules had five players in double figures. The Mules hit 11 of 18 three point attempts for the game.

The Mules advance to the Elite Eight in Springfield, Massachusetts to play Gannon (28-3) next Wednesday. Harris and Watts were named members of the South Central Region All-Tournament team along with UCM's De'Andre Byrd, Tremaine Luellen and Alex Moosman. Watts was named MVP of the region.

This was the final game for one of the most successful senior classes in SBU history. Justin Brown, Brandon Burgette, D'Ante Harris, Nick Kovacevich and John Tiemeyer won two MIAA regular season championships while Wendell Mardis and Johnnie Harris were huge contributors in their lone seasons with the 'Cats, helping SBU to this season's MIAA regular season title. Guiot said that "all seven seniors are just first class individuals. They do well in school, on campus, and in the community. The loss hurts but what really stings, is that this was it for them. They're very special people."

The Bearcats end the season at 26-5. They won the MIAA regular season title for the third time in four years and reached the round of 16 for only the second time in school history. Back-to-back MIAA championships were a first in SBU history.

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