Box Score Kansas City, Mo. – The 15^th-ranked Cougar men's basketball team saw their season come to an end with an 74-68 loss to No. 17 Our Lady of the Lake University in the first round of the 2015 Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship on Thursday afternoon at Municipal Auditorium. Columbia finishes the year with a record of 26-7 while the Saints improve to 25-5 with the win.

The Cougars would jump out of the gate with a 4-0 lead, and led throughout the first seven minutes of play, but the Saints would battle back and take their first lead at 10-8 at the 13:33 mark. Neither team would be able to gain much separation until a three-pointer by Tanner Sutton would push the Cougar lead to five at 27-22 with 6:28 left to play in the first half. From there Columbia would maintain a three to five point lead until Daniel Skinner of OLLU would complete the three point play cutting the margin to one right before the half. The Cougars were able to hold onto the lead heading into the break at 32-31 after shooting 52 percent from the field in the first half.

The Saints would come out hot in the second half, scoring seven of the first nine points to take a four point advantage with the first three minutes erased. The Cougars would tie it up at 39, but OLLU would use a 13-3 run to stretch their lead to ten at 52-42 midway through the frame. They would maintain the double-digit lead until a breakaway layup by Chantel Stanciel and a three-pointer by Sutton would cut the lead to six with six minutes left to play. The Saints would again extend their lead to double-digits, but the Cougars would come roaring back to pull within five after a three-pointer by Jackson Dubinski with 28 second left in the game. However the Saints would survive and advance.

Columbia shot 44 percent for the game, but would commit 24 turnovers. Sutton and Zach Rockers led the Cougar offense with 12 points apiece while Travis Vogt rounded out the scoring with 11 points on the day. Rockers finished with a game-high eight rebounds and Stanciel handed out six assists. The Saints' De'Quentin Greer led all players with 24 points.

Our Lady of the Lake will advance to the second round of the national tournament, where they will take on the winner of Rocky Mountain (Mont.) and Talladega (Ala.) on Friday, March 20. Tipoff is scheduled for 2:15 p.m.