Fulton, Mo. – The Columbia College men's basketball team had five players score in double figures but it was not enough in an 84-81 loss at William Woods University on Thursday.
Collin Parker had a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds, while
Seth Larson (13),
Nate Brandt (12),
Carson Parker (10) and
Kai Steinman (10) also scored in double figures. The Cougars shot 46.7 percent (28-60) from the field and hit 15-of-17 from the free-throw line in the loss.
William Woods won its fifth-straight game to improve to 10-2 (4-1 AMC) ,while Columbia had its four-game win streak snapped and fell to 8-4 (4-1 AMC).
Columbia limited William Woods to 1-of-9 shooting from the field to start the contest as the Cougars led 8-2. Steinman canned a corner three to push the advantage to 13-5, and the lead grew to double figures (23-13) on a bucket by Larson with 9:42 left.
A 7-0 run by the Cougars extended the lead to 30-17, but William Woods chipped away with a 9-2 run to trim the advantage to 35-30.
Carson and
Collin Parker had eight points apiece as Columbia led 42-36 at halftime. The Cougars limited William Woods to 36.1 percent (13-36) from the field.
The Owls went on an 11-2 run early in the second half to tie the score at 46-46, and then took the lead on a wing three by Jack Wetzel.
Harrison Vickers drained a three to cap an 8-0 run as Columbia regained the lead at 60-55 with 12:21 to play.
Tied at 72-72 with less than six minutes left, Kevin Taylor of William Woods canned back-to-back threes to take it largest lead of the game at 78-72 with 5:07 left. The Cougars got the lead down to two (78-76) after a pair of buckets by
Collin Parker, and trimmed the lead to one (82-81) on a three by Brandt with 13 seconds left.
William Woods had five players score in double figures: Francis Okwuosah (16 points), Henry Shannon III (12), Taylor (11), D'Mari Wiltz (11) and Tre Titus (10). The Owls connected on 12 threes, its third-straight game with 10 or more threes.
The Cougars step out of conference play to host Ottawa University on Wednesday, December 18 at 6 p.m.
NOTES: Columbia leads the all-time series 30-9 and the Owls snapped a three-game losing streak to the Cougars ... William Woods received 36 votes in the NAIA Top-25 Poll ... The game featured four lead changes and nine ties ...
Collin Parker moved into second on the Columbia all-time scoring list with 1,733 points.
