Columbia, Mo. – This evening the Columbia College men's basketball team played host to the Williams Baptist University Eagles in the AMC Game of the Week. The Cougars solidified a 75-57 win over the Eagles. Columbia is now 11-11 on the season and 6-9 in conference play.
Columbia came out and took a quick 6-0 lead as Adam Mennemeyer hit his first two threes. Following the buckets, Justin Shaw threw one up to Jalen Olds who finished with the slam to take an 8-0 lead, and cause an early Eagle timeout. The Eagles began to settle in as they trailed 12-9 after seven minutes of play. Columbia held a four point advantage, 17-13, with under 10 minutes before the half. A surge from the Cougars gave them a 10 point lead, 25-15. Columbia kept up their intensity, holding a 32-19 lead with three and a half left in the first. At halftime the Cougars maintained their double digit lead, 38-27. Columbia shot 43 percent from the field and 45 from beyond the arc. Mennemeyer led all scorers with 11 points, going 3-5 from three.
In the first two minutes of the second half, the Eagles went on a run, cutting the lead to six, 40-34. The Cougars took a timeout as the Eagles were closing in on them, 40-37, just under the 17 minute mark. This time the Eagles wanted a timeout as they trailed by just one point. Following the timeout, the game was tied up at 43 and again at 46. The game stayed tight as time progressed. The Cougars took a four point lead with seven and a half remaining. A dagger from Mennemeyer put Columbia up by 10 with five minutes left in the game, while creating an Eagles timeout. The Cougars stayed in control with a 66-53 lead with under three minutes to play. Columbia continued to push and the Eagles were forced to foul in the final minute. The Cougars rolled to victory 75-57.
Adam Mennemeyer dropped 22 points, going 4-8 from three, with eight rebounds and a career-high six assists. Jaylen Johnson had a career-high 15 points, and Jalen Olds added 12 points, along with three rebounds and three assists. In addition, Justin Shaw, Braden Wendel, and Darrick Ellis each grabbed seven boards. Shaw also handed out four assists on the night. The Cougars finished shooting 45 percent from the field and 41 from three.
The men's basketball team is back at home on Saturday, February 2nd to take on the Freed-Hardeman University Lions in an AMC contest. The game is set to start at 3:00 p.m. in Southwell Complex.
