The Culver-Stockton College men's basketball team has relied on the three-point shot all season. Saturday night the Wildcats found out what could happen if those shots fail to drop.

The Wildcats connected on a season-low five treys and MidAmerica Nazarene University used a punishing inside game to claim an 86-74 victory over the Wildcats in the semifinals of the Heart of America Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Tournament at Charles Field House.

The Pioneers advance to face regular season champion Evangel in the championship game Tuesday night in Springfield, Mo. The Crusaders upended Central Methodist 77-55 in the other semifinal game.

C-SC falls to 24-8 overall and will play again in the first round of the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Tournament on either March 13 or 14 in Kansas City, Mo. The Wildcats had already claimed an automatic bid to the national tournament by finishing second in the HAAC regular season.

MidAmerica Nazarene netted 50 of its 86 points in the paint with 31 of those points coming from Luke Thomas off the bench. Thomas scored 17 of those points in the first half as the Pioneers built a 50-38 halftime lead.

Conner Langrehr added 10 of his 14 points off the bench in the first half as the Pioneer bench outscored C-SC's reserves 45-19 in the game. Among the starters, Brandon Newton turned in a big game for the visitors with 16 points and 13 rebounds.

Meanwhile, the Wildcats, who rank second in the nation in 3-point shooting, couldn't get an outside shot to fall all night. The Wildcats made just three 3-points in the opening half en route to a season-low five 3-pointyers total for the game. C-SC finished 5 of 28 from beyond the arc for 18 percent.

Four players scored in double figures for the Wildcats with senior Austin Keaton leading the way with 18 points. Marshawn Norris added 15 points and a team-high six assists, while James Johnson added 13 markers off the bench.

Jermaine Jones netted his second double-double of the season, scoring 11 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. CJ Adams was second in rebounding, grabbing eight caroms.