St. Louis, Mo. – The Columbia College men's basketball team competed in their first of three games on the week with a thrilling one-point victory over Harris-Stowe State, 54-53. Columbia moves to 13-5 on the season and 5-1 in the American Midwest Conference (AMC).
 
The Hornets began the contest on a 13-0 run, notching five out of eight shots from the field along with a three-point basket, which brought the Cougars to their first time out. Cole Gerken got Columbia on the board six minutes into the contest. Columbia shot 29 percent from the field in the first half, compared to 52 percent from the Hornets. Going into the halftime, Harris-Stowe led 37-19, while Gerken led the Cougars with nine points.
 
Contrary to the first half, Columbia got things started with a 6-0 advantage, taking their scoring deficit to 15 points. With 8:17 remaining in the contest, Tony Burks hit a pair of free throws which began another 9-0 advantage for the Cougars. Slowly but surely, Columbia made way to the Harris-Stowe lead. After a steal and a made jumper from Gerken, the Cougars secured the first lead of the game with 1:20 left on the clock, 54-53. This also turned out as the last made basket of the contest as the Cougars ran away with a 54-53 defeat over Harris-Stowe. The Cougars shot an impressive 54 percent from the field in the second half, while the Hornets shot 30 percent.
 
Gerken notched the first and last field goal for Columbia, recording 16 points and four rebounds in 28 minutes of play.