Box Score Columbia, Mo. - The Cougar men's basketball team wrapped up the 2013-14 regular season and also clinched the American Midwest Conference (AMC) regular season championship for the fourth straight year with a 101-69 home victory over league foe Missouri Baptist University on Saturday afternoon. As conference regular season champions, Columbia also earns an automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament in Kansas City. The Cougars, ranked 4^th in Tuesday's latest release of the NAIA Men's Basketball Top 25 Poll, improves to 28-2 overall and 19-1 with the win, their 12^th straight dating back to January 23^rd.

Missouri Baptist got off to a fast start behind a trio of early three-pointers for a 17-11 lead at the 15:18 mark. Columbia would take their first lead of the half at 24-23 on a basket by Devin Griffin with 9:11 to play, but the Spartans responded quickly to regain the lead at 30-27 with just under seven minutes remaining in the frame. The Cougars used a 15-0 run from there to grab the lead for good and took a 50-36 advantage into the halftime break after an alley-oop from Tanner Sutton to Malik Ray in the closing seconds. Jeremy Nolen led all scorers with 16 points in the opening period.

Columbia maintained a sizeable lead throughout the second half on their way to the blowout victory as 11 different Cougar players cracked the scoring column. Nolen finished with a game-high 27 points and nine rebounds to lead four other Columbia players in double figures. Malik Ray added 15 points off the bench, Patric Massey chipped in 13, and Griffin and Dilworth rounded out the Cougars in double figures with 11 and 10 respectively. Columbia owned a 52-31 advantage on the glass and dished out 19 assists on the day, led by Griffin and Chantel Stanciel with five each.

Prior to Saturday's game, Dilworth, Griffin, Massey and fellow seniors Wendell Crowder and Gerardo Isla were recognized for Senior Day.

The Cougars will return to the hardwood to host the AMC Tournament quarterfinals on Thursday, March 7^th. Columbia will face the winner of Tuesday's opening round game between No. 8 and No. 9 seeds. As league regular season champions, the Cougars will be the No. 1 seed and have home-court advantage throughout the tournament. Tip-off for Thursday's game is set for 7:00 pm at the Arena of Southwell Complex.