Parkville, Mo. - The 2^nd-ranked Columbia College men's basketball team couldn't hold on for a win this evening as No. 20 Park University handed the Cougars a 75-73 loss at Breckon Sports Complex. Columbia falls to 16-2 overall and 9-1 in the American Midwest Conference (AMC) with the defeat. The Pirates improve to 10-5 on the season and 8-2 in conference play.

The lead changed hands four times and would be tied on five different occasions throughout the first half, but it was the Cougars who held a 40-39 advantage at intermission. Columbia led by as many as seven while the Pirates largest lead of the half was four. Columbia shot 53 percent from the field while limiting the Pirates to 43 percent shooting and also held a 19-18 advantage on the boards. Nic Reynolds led the Cougars with eight points while Xavielle Brown and BJ Watson chipped in 12 and 15 points, respectively for the Pirates.

Travis Vogt scored four straight points out of the halftime break to extend the Cougar lead to five, but a 9-0 run by the Pirates allowed the squad to regain their lead at 48-44. Park maintained their advantage from there and eventually stretched their lead to nine at 60-51 at the 9:01 minute mark. The Cougars worked to cut the deficit and eventually pulled within one at 67-66 with the help of a 7-1 run at the 2:26 mark. A Columbia foul sent Brown to the line where he made both attempts and Watson scored a bucket to give the Pirates a 71-67 advantage.

With 32 seconds left in the game, sharp shooter Nic Reynolds rushed down the floor and drained a three pointer to pull the Cougars back within one at 71-70. The Cougars were forced to foul from there and Watson made both free throws to make the score 73-70. With the clock winding down, Columbia rushed the ball up the floor and found Reynolds again who drained yet another three to tie the game up at 73 with 16 seconds to go. With Park in possession, Brown found the basket one more time with one second left on the clock to put the game away.  

The Cougars shot 44 percent from the field and were led by Reynolds with a 17 points. Zach Rockers chipped in 14 points and six rebounds while Vogt finished with 11 points. Chantel Stanciel matched a season-high, dishing out eight assists and also pulled down eight rebounds. Brown ended with 32 points while Watson recorded 24 points to lead Park who also shot 44 percent for the game. The Pirates also shot 72 percent (16/22) from the charity stripe while Columbia shot just 43 percent (9/21).

Rockers also surpassed 1,000 points this evening and now stands at 1,005 total career points.

Columbia returns home Saturday to host No. 25 William Woods University at 4 p.m., in the NAIA Network Division I Men's Basketball Game of the Week, presented by Stretch Internet. The Owls of William Woods recorded their first-ever Top 25 ranking in NAIA Division I Men's Basketball this week. With a 12-6 record and holding second-place in the American Midwest Conference with an 8-2 record, William Woods most recently defeated then-No. 3 Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) on Jan. 9. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. on Bob Burchard Court in Southwell Complex.