Box Score Columbia, Mo. - The No. 1 ranked Cougar men's basketball team won its fourth straight game on Saturday afternoon, defeating a gritty Lyon College squad 57-52. With the victory, Columbia improves to 13-1 overall and a perfect 4-0 in American Midwest Conference (AMC) play.

The Cougars built a 20-12 lead midway through the first half before a 12-3 run by the Scots gave them their first lead since the opening minute of play. Lyon led 29-27 in the final moments of the period, but a tip-in by Gerardo Isla evened the score heading into the halftime break. Columbia held the Scots to 33 percent from the field in the half, but Lyon connected on six of nine attempts from behind the three-point line and owned an 18-15 advantage on the glass.

The beginning of the second period featured runs by both teams as the Cougars went up 38-30 with 16:55 to play. The Scots battled back over the next five minutes to grab a brief 41-40 lead, but Columbia would answer with an 11-0 run to take the lead for good. Lyon fought back once again and pulled within two at 51-49 with 1:51 to play. After a put-back by Malik Ray put the Cougars in front 53-49, the Scots' Devonte Young drilled his sixth three-pointer of the game to cut the Columbia lead to one. Tanner Sutton would split a pair of free throws to put the Cougars back up by two and the Columbia defense held on down the stretch to avoid the upset.

Columbia shot 46 percent from the field for the game and was led by Devin Griffin with 17 points and three assists. Jeremy Nolen also added nine points and a team-high nine rebounds. Young led all scorers with 20 points for Lyon.

Prior to game time, Griffin and fellow senior Wendell Crowder were recognized after winning their 100^th career game against Park University on Thursday night. The duo has combined to go 101-15 in their four years at Columbia.

The Cougars will travel to AMC foe Williams Baptist (Ark.) College for their next game on Thursday, January 9^th. Game time is scheduled for 7:30 pm in Walnut Ridge, Ark.