Columbia, Mo. – Tonight the sixth ranked Columbia College men's basketball team kicked off their season against Baker (Kan.) University in the Cougars vs. Cancer Tip-Off Classic Presented by Cost Cutters. The Cougars defeated the Wildcats by a final score of 85-66 to start the season out 1-0.
The Cougars came out in the opening half and looked as if they were well prepared for the game. They won the opening tip and immediately scored on their first possession which jumpstarted their 10-0 run to start the game. The Cougars pressured the Wildcats on defense and forced them to go just 2-7 on their shots in the first five minutes of the game. Baker shook of the rust as the half progressed and started to position themselves back in the game. However, the Cougars offense was too much for the Wildcats to handle and they were able to take a 46-32 lead into halftime after shooting nearly 55% from the field.
The Cougars used their momentum from the first half and continued to play great basketball in the second half.
Malik Ray got Columbia College rolling in the second half when he had a huge block on the Wildcats first shot of the period to start a 13-2 run by the Cougars that put them up by 20 points with just over 15 minutes left in the game. The Wildcats could not get anything going in the beginning of the half but were finally able to find their footing with just under seven minutes left to play when they cut the lead 14. However, that was the closest they would get as the Cougars were able to finish off the Wildcats at the end of the game.
Columbia College was led by
Malik Ray who dominated the post. Ray finished the contest with a game high 20 points and seven rebounds.
Nic Reynolds, the Cougars leading scorer from a year ago, also had a big game offensively dropping in 18 points including three shots from behind the arc.
The Cougars are back in action tomorrow night when they take on Culver-Stockton (Mo.) College in their final game of the Cougars vs. Cancer Tip-Off Classic Presented by Cost Cutters. The game is set to begin at 7 p.m.
