Paragould, Ark. – Johnny Anderson scored a game-high 22 points to lead the No. 16-ranked Columbia College men's basketball team to a 96-81 victory at Crowley's Ridge College on Thursday in Paragould, Ark. The 96 points scored were the second most this season.
 
Columbia shot a season-high 55.9 percent (33-59) from the field and hit 20-of-25 from the free-throw line in the win. The Cougars also dominated the points in the pant 44-28.
 
Columbia won its ninth-straight game to improve to 19-2 and 7-0 in the American Midwest Conference (AMC), while Crowley's Ridge fell to 10-12 and 3-5 in the AMC.
 
Caleb Jones had 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting, while Jemeal Goines 13 points, eight rebounds), Max Rieger (12 points) and Marcelous Phillips (11 points) also scored in double figures.
 
Columbia jumped out to a 7-2 lead in the opening three minutes, then used an 8-0 run to extend its advantage to 17-5 with 14:21 left. Anderson knocked down a pair of threes and AJ Walker added another during a 9-0 surge that pushed the Cougars ahead 32-11.
 
Crowley's Ridge responded with a 9-0 run to close the half, trimming Columbia's lead to 43-29 at the break.
 
The Cougars shot 53.6 percent (15-of-28) from the field in the first half, including 10-of-14 from two-point range, and connected on 8-of-9 free throws. Anderson led all scorers with 12 points, while Goines added nine.
 
The game was delayed for several minutes early in the second half with the Cougars leading 49-35. Following the stoppage, back-to-back three-pointers by Anderson highlighted an 8-0 run that pushed the advantage to 57-35 with 15:56 remaining in the contest.
 
Phillips' three-point play on a dunk pushed the advantage to 64-43 with 11:59 remaining, and then Jace Eskew capped an 11-2 run with a three-pointer to extend the lead to 77-48.
 
Caleb Wade (15 points), Kyzer Phillips (14), and Azani Smith (11) scored in double figures for Crowley's Ridge, which hit 12 threes in the defeat.
 
The Cougars return to action on Saturday, January 31 at Williams Baptist University. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. in Walnut Ridge, Ark.
 
NOTES: Columbia leads the all-time series 6-0 … The Cougars shot 50 percent or better from the field for the seventh time this season and scored 90 or more points for the fifth time … Adam Sausele chipped in with eight points and tied a career-high with seven assists.