Chippewas Outshoot Texas State 85-70

Saturday, February 8

Mount Pleasant, Mich.

5:00 PM

Central Michigan University

11-12,4-6MAC

Texas State

12-13,5-7Sun Belt

Texas St.

Central Mich.

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Cayden Vasko

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2/8/2025 8:29:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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Chippewas shoot 78.9 percent in the second half (15-19); Jakobi Heady scores a career-high 20 points; Ugnius Jarusevicius notches his fifth double-double; Anthony Pritchard scores 17 points with 11 assists.

By: Greg Hotchkiss

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich.—Central Michigan shot 78.9 percent from the floor in the second half, Jakobi Heady scored a career-high 20 points and Ugnius Jarusevicius and Anthony Pritchard notched double-doubles as the Chippewas pulled away late in the game to register an 85-70 MAC-SBC Challenge men's basketball victory on Saturday at McGuirk Arena.

With the win, Central Michigan improves to 11-12 overall, while Texas State drops to 12-13. Central Michigan is a combined 3-1 all-time in the MAC-SBC Challenge. The Chippewas resume MAC competition on Tuesday at Kent State (7 p.m.).

Multiple Chippewas enjoyed productive performances. Heady had his highest scoring game while converting eight of 12 shots. Jarusevicius registered his fifth career double-double with 19 points and a career-high tying 14 rebounds and hit 8-11 free throws. Amazingly, Pritchard notched his first career double-double at CMU with 17 points and a career-high 11 assists. Kyler VanderJagt scored 17 points and hit all three of his 3-point attempts.

A plodding first half defensive struggle gave way to a second half that featured a clinic in offensive efficiency as Central Michigan outlasted visiting Texas State. After both teams shot around 42 percent in the first half, the Chippewas shot 78.9 percent (15-19) in the second half and outscored Texas State, which shot 61 percent (19-31).

But no matter how the game was being played or the style, Central Michigan came to compete.

"I thought we played lights out from the tipoff," Central Michigan head coach Tony Barbee said. "It was a complete effort. We controlled the first half. If we had been more efficient on the offensive end of the floor in the first half, the score would have been an even bigger margin. Defensively, we guarded way better in the first half than we did in the second half. They shot 61 percent in the second half, which is a concern. If it wasn't for us shooting almost 80 percent in the second half—you'd like to do that every game—but when you don't, like Miami (OH) did, you're not going to win many games."

"But at the end of the day, competitors compete no matter what they're doing. Tonight, we competed."

With the score tied at 47-47, Central Michigan outscored Texas State 11-2 over a five-minute second half stretch to take control of the game. Pritchard started the run by converting two free throws, then VanderJagt hit a 3-pointer for a five-point lead. After a Texas State basket, Jarusevicius made two free throws, Pritchard scored on a driving layup, then Jakobi Heady made two free throws. That gave CMU a commanding nine-point lead (58-49) with 8:34 to play.

Texas State cut the lead down to five points (63-58) with 5:32 to play, but Central Michigan responded by scoring 13 of the game's next 15 points to put the game out of reach. Heady scored on a driving layup, then the Chippewas rattled off eight straight points, including a 3-pointer from VanderJagt, a fast break layup by Heady and 3-pointers by VanderJagt and Jarusevicius for an 18-point lead with 2:25 to play.

Barbee was pleased with his team's performance but was not satisfied.

"You have to have guys continue to step up offensively," Barbee said. "They have to be consistent, effective scorers, playmakers and get themselves to the free throw line. Ugnius had 19 and 14 tonight and I'm not happy with that line. Why should I be happy with that line, when those numbers should have been double? Jakobi with 20 tonight, it's what we need him to do. He was aggressive, he was attacking, he wasn't settling for soft, fadeway jump shots, Kyler did what he did, Pritch, goes for 17 and 11 and I'm not happy."

"Had we done this in several other games where we really guarded on defense, we wouldn't be in hole we're in. Now, we've got to dig ourselves out of the hole we're in."
It was Central Michigan's defense that made the difference in the first half as the Chippewas built a 32-26 halftime lead. The Chippewas held Texas State to 41.7 percent (10-24) shooting.

Central Michigan got off to a great start as it took a 7-0 lead in the game's first three minutes. Ugnius Jarusevicius and Anthony Pritchard both converted layups and Cayden Vasko hit a 3-pointer. The Chippewas used a 6-0 run to take an eight-point lead (17-9) on a Jakobi Heady tipin with 8:43 to play in the first half. A driving layup and a dunk by Jakobi Heady put CMU up 23-15 at the 4:31 mark.

Texas State's Joshua O'Garro hit a 3-pointer to pull the Bobcats within two points, 27-25 with 1:25 to go before the half, but Pritchard scored on a driving layup, then a steal by Pritchard ended in a 3-point play by Jakobi Heady and seven-point lead with 17 seconds.

The Bobcats were led by Tylan Pope's 13 points. Kaden Gumbs finished with 12 points and Coleton Benson had 11.

The Chippewas started Anthony Pritchard, Quentin Heady, Cayden Vasko, Ugnius Jarusevicius and Kyler VanderJagt.

CMU men's basketball season tickets and single game tickets are on sale. Fans can order season tickets by calling Ticket Central at (989) 774-3045, by ordering on this link, or by stopping by Ticket Central located in the John G. Kulhavi Events Center between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Single-game tickets are also on sale. For more information, click here.

—CMU—

Central Michigan Announces Entire 2025-26 Men's Basketball Schedule

Thursday, August 21

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Tuesday, July 01

Men's Basketball Signee Keenan Garner to Compete with Under-19 German National Team at 2025 FIBA World Cup

Friday, June 27

Jimmy Booth Named Director of Men's Basketball Operations

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Team Stats

Game Leaders

Jakobi Heady

Ugnius Jarusevicius

Kyler VanderJagt

Anthony Pritchard

Players Mentioned