Marshall, MO – Columbia College men's basketball falls to Missouri Valley 66-70 on the road Saturday evening. The Cougars fall to 10-2 after the loss but remain undefeated in conference play at 2-0.
Columbia struggled to find their rhythm offensively, shooting just 31.3% from the field compared to Missouri Valley's 55.3%. Despite the shooting woes, Columbia battled back from a 16-point second-half deficit to make it a one-possession game in the final minute.
Justin Boyer provided a crucial lift off the bench, pouring in 15 points on efficient 4-of-6 shooting, including three triples. Boyer's hot second half helped fuel Columbia's comeback attempt, scoring nine of his points after halftime.
Caleb Jones paced Columbia with 15 points, though he struggled with efficiency on 4-of-15 shooting. Johnny Anderson recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, while AJ Walker orchestrated the offense with a team-high eight assists despite connecting on just 2-of-9 from the field.
The Vikings, now 8-5 overall and 3-3 in conference play, were paced by Devin Davenport's game-high 22 points on an efficient 8-of-18 shooting. Damario Moss added 15 points while shooting 6-of-7 from the field.
Antwon Ferrell controlled the tempo of the game for the Vikings, finishing with 11 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists.
Trailing 31-28 at halftime, Columbia fell behind by 16 points in the second half at 58-42. The Cougars mounted a strong rally, cutting the deficit to 68-66 with 32 seconds remaining on a Caleb Jones three-pointer and free throw. However, Missouri Valley's Antwon Ferrell sank two free throws with 17 seconds left to seal the victory.
Columbia dominated the glass, out-rebounding Missouri Valley 40-34 and scoring 19 second-chance points to the Vikings' nine. The Cougars also took better care of the ball, committing just six turnovers compared to nine for Missouri Valley.
However, the shooting disparity proved too much to overcome. Missouri Valley shot 47.4% from three-point range while Columbia connected on 32.4% of their attempts from deep.
The Cougars return to action on Wednesday, December 17 at 12:00 p.m. in Columbia for the School Day in Southwell event where they will host the Valor of Evangel University.
