SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Mission University traded blows with Central Methodist in a fast-paced matchup Saturday afternoon, but foul trouble and free-throw advantage proved too much as the Patriots came up short, 91–84, at W.E. Dowell Fieldhouse.

Mission saw strong scoring production across the lineup, led by Davion Sargent-Young, who came off the bench to pour in 19 points while adding 3 rebounds and 2 assists. Najeé Williams scored 15, knocking down three threes, and Clifford Barrow added 11 in a game that stayed competitive from start to finish.

The Patriots' bench group made a major impact, contributing 48 points, including a solid performance from Jamarián Cato, who finished with 15 points and 7 rebounds in 25 minutes. Jordyn Turner added 10 points and brought steady guard play throughout the second half.

Central Methodist relied heavily on its frontcourt, where Raphael Gay dominated with 28 points and 16 rebounds, while Tyson Oghene added 21. The Eagles held a 41–35 rebounding edge and earned 42 free-throw attempts, using those opportunities to maintain control in tight stretches.

Despite trailing by as many as 13, Mission continued to fight, cutting the deficit to five multiple times and eventually trimming it all the way down to three in the final minutes behind energetic defensive play and timely three-point shooting. However, CMU converted enough at the free-throw line late to keep the Patriots from completing the comeback.

Mission will now shift its attention to a road matchup at Haskell University on December 9.