Columbia, Mo. – Tonight the sixth ranked Columbia College men's basketball team took on Culver-Stockton (Mo.) College in their final game of the Cougars vs. Cancer Tip-Off Classic Presented by Cost Cutters. The Cougars picked up a big win over Baker (Kan.) University last night in their first game of the season and carried that momentum over to tonight's game where they were able to defeat the Wildcats by a final score of 60-45 to improve to 2-0.

The Cougars came out in the first half and were able to use their momentum from last night's win to race out to an 8-0 lead over the Wildcats. Nic Reynolds had five of the Cougars first eight points including a three pointer to get the offense going. Columbia College played great defensively in the half and did not allow a point until four minutes into the game when Alekssander Malinic was able to finish a layup off of a Cougar turnover.

The Wildcats battled back in the game but the Cougars continued to force Culver-Stockton to turn the ball over. Columbia College forced 11 turnovers in the half and were able to score 16 points off of those turnovers to take a 30-20 lead into the halftime break. Nic Reynolds had seven points and Nathan Biggs had four rebounds to lead the Cougars in the first half.

The second half was much of the same as both teams continued to struggle offensively. Culver-Stockton made a push at the start of the half but the Cougars seemed to have an answer for everything. The Wildcats were able to cut the lead to just seven with 15 minutes left in the game but that was the closest they would get as the Cougars cruised to their second win of the season.

Columbia College was led by Nic Reynolds who ended with a game high 14 points while going 2-3 from the three point line. Three of the Cougars big men had great games as well with Malik Ray dropping in 11 points and pulling down 5 rebounds while Jesse Brown and Nathan Biggs led the team with seven rebounds apiece. For their efforts this weekend, Nic Rynolds was named the Most Valuable Player of the Cougars vs. Cancer Tip-Off Classic and Malik Ray was named to the All-Classic Team.

The Cougars are back in action on Tuesday, November 8^th when they travel to Marshall, Missouri, to take on Missouri Valley College in their first road game of the season. The game is set to tip-off at 7 p.m.

Watch the game - https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4QiRk9Kt7zqWWdhTFpzaEhRSlk/view