The first half belonged to Noah Copeland and the Tigers. But it was a much different story in the final 16 minutes at Kirksville on Friday night.

Led by Drew Blevins and Isaiah Reams, the Bulldogs pounded their hosts after the halftime break. Mexico poured in 40 points and put the clamp on Copeland, holding Kirksville to 23 on their way to a convincing 72-57 win over a conference foe.

Blevins knocked down 21 points in the game, much of it coming in a second half flurry in which he was almost perfect from eight to 10 feet and led a fast break.

“It helps when Drew is shooting like he was,” said head coach Darren Pappas. “He was locked in.”

It was an unexpected play by Daeye Miller that sparked things for the Bulldogs.

Miller generally runs the baseline or drives the lane, preferring to showcase his hang time. Early in the third, with the game still in contention, he stepped beyond the arc and lofted a three.

It was his first as a varsity player.

“I looked over at the ref and he had two arms up,” Blevins said. “I was surprised.”

The outburst transformed the game from a slugfest to a runaway. Mexico started strong, outscoring the Tigers 18-13 in the first. But the Bulldogs faltered in the second quarter and Kirksville jumped out on top 34-32 at the half.

Much of the damage was done by Copeland.

“Noah is one of the best in the conference,” Raef Yager observed. “In the first half he killed us.”

With Jordan Mitchell focused on limiting penetration, Kirksville found their options dwindling. And the Bulldogs began breaking down the hosts’ 1-3-1.

Yager, Reams and Michael White, who scored 8 off the bench, joined in Blevins in forging the turnaround.

Meanwhile the Bulldogs held Kirksville to 14 points in the third and just 9 in the final period. With Blevins, Miller, Yager and White patrolling the paint, Mexico limited the Tigers to 5 second chance points.

“We did a good job containing Noah,” Reams said.

Copeland finished with 13 points, the only Tiger in double digits.

The Mexico guard attributed the win to staunch defense, unselfish ball movement on offense “and Drew.”

Yet much of the offense funneled through Reams on Friday. He put in 18 points and handed out 10 assists – an attack-minded double-double.

“He’s a true point guard,” Yager said of Reams. “He got everyone in rhythm.”

Yager joined Blevins and Reams in double figures with 15 points. Miller hit for 5. Joining White off the bench, Dante Billups scored 3 and Peyton Willer 2 for a team that combined to net 60 percent from inside the ark and 6 of 7 from the line.

For Pappas, it was an example of a team win.

“Dante Billups and Dominic McKeown gave us great energy off the bench,” he pointed out. “And Jordan Mitchell did a good job defensively.”