Box Score Columbia, Mo. - The Cougar men's basketball team rebounded from a tough loss at Freed-Hardeman on Saturday to earn a 78-57 victory over Benedictine University-Springfield on Thursday night at the Arena of Southwell Complex. Columbia, ranked seventh in the latest NAIA Men's Basketball Top 25 Poll, improves to 17-2 overall on the season and 8-1 in American Midwest Conference (AMC) play. Thursday night's game was also part of the annual 'Suits vs. Sneakers' as Columbia College raised over $3,600 to help benefit the American Cancer Society.

The Cougars jumped out to a 21-7 lead after eight minutes of action as Tanner Sutton hit a pair of three-pointers on back-to-back possessions. Columbia would maintain a double-digit advantage over the remainder of the first half and Jeremy Nolen knocked down a deep three in the closing seconds to send the Cougars into the halftime break up 42-25. Columbia shot 55 percent from the field in the opening period, led by Sutton and Nolen with 12 points each.

The Cougars would stretch their lead out to 20 to begin the second half and led by as many as 31 on their way to their eight win in nine games. Nolen finished a game-high 18 points to lead Columbia, who shot 52 percent on the night. Sutton (16), Patric Massey (12), and Devin Griffin (10) also finished in double figures for the Cougars.

Columbia will return to the court on Saturday, January 25^th to face off against AMC opponent Missouri Baptist University. The game will be played on the campus of Maryville University in St. Louis, Mo. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. at Maryville's Moloney Arena.