Fayette, Mo. -- A double-double (16 pts., 11 reb.) by Andrew Miller (Whangamata, New Zealand) wasn't enough to overcome a cold shooting spell in the first half as the William Woods University men's basketball team dropped a 71-60 result to Central Methodist on Tuesday night.

After giving up the first two baskets of the game off turnovers, the Owls settled in a bit, holding a 9-7 lead with 13:44 left in the first half.

But the Owls couldn't find the range, missing their next seven shots as CMU went on a 10-0 run. Logan Decker (Kansas City, Mo.) eventually broke the nearly five-minute drought for WWU as he cleaned up his own shot, but the Eagles were able to take a 33-25 lead into halftime.

WWU looked to claw its way back into the game out of the intermission, with a pair of Jonathon Nutt (Palmyra, Mo.) three-pointers and a Miller bucket pulling the Owls to within a single possession at 36-33, but CMU responded with a 6-0 run of their own and eventually pulled out to a 63-48 lead with 6:16 to go.

The Owls were able to pull back to within eight, but CMU shot 8-of-11 from the free throw line over the final seven minutes of the contest to hold off the WWU comeback.

Nick Totta's squad falls to 5-4 on the year, and will be back in action on Friday night. The Owls host Lindenwood University-Belleville in the nightcap of the Arris' Pizza and Pub College Basketball Classic. Tipoff for the game is scheduled for 8 p.m.