FULTON, Mo. – The William Woods University men's basketball team dropped a heartbreaker against (RV) Lyon College in its last game before break, as the team fell 45-42 to the Scots.
 
The Owls (4-8: 1-4 AMC) had a hot start on the night, jumping out to a quick 5-0 lead, after a field goal from Ryan Hill and a three-pointer from Nate Bitner. However, that would be the largest lead WWU would have the rest of the first frame.
 
Despite valiant effort, both teams had a hard time getting the basketball to go through the net, shooting well underneath their average percent from the field and only recording 11 free-throws in the first frame combined.
 
Scoring its lowest points in a half on the year, Lyon College closed the first frame on a 5-2 sprint, giving them a 22-17 advantage heading into the locker room.
 
The Owls ended the first 20:00 minutes of play with a season low 28 percent from the floor on 7-for-25 shooting and netting only 2-of-7 from beyond the arc, while the defense stepped up its play, holding the Scots to just 35 percent (6-of-17). Sophomore guard, Jerel Wilhite led the way for WWU with six points, while the Scots leading scorer, Ben Worlow collected 10 points.
 
In the second half, DJ Johnson would get into the action at the 16:51 mark, after Klayton Kuschel connected with him in the paint, putting the score at 27-22 in favor of the Scots. Then the next possession, Johnson would get a pass from Bitner from the wing and connected on a lay-up in the paint.
 
After trading baskets the next couple possesions, the Scots would extend its largest lead of the night to eight points, as the shot clock was winding down, Riley Jenkins sank a three-pointer with 11:51 minutes left to play.
 
The Owls maintained its composure, while the team started to chip away at the Lyons lead, as Johnson would tie the game up 35-35 with a field goal from the baseline corner, at the 6:03 mark.
 
Shortly after, with 2:28 remaining, Austin Lowery pushed the ball up the court and found a wide open cutting Jarett Boss, who knocked down an easy two point lay-up, putting the Owls within just one point, 41-40 from the Scots.
 
Lyon College would amass a couple of offensive rebounds in the final minutes of the match-up, forcing William Woods to stop the clock by fouling, which the Scots were a perfect 6-for-6 in the final frame and went on to secure a three point victory, 45-42.
 
The Owls offense was much more efficient in the second half, as the team finished the night shooting a 36 percent from the field but just 25 percent from the three point line and after getting to the charity stripe two times in the first half, WWU only got to the line four times in the finale.
 
Johnson, led the Owls with 12 points and eight rebounds, where all of his points came in the second half of the game, while three other Owl players ended the night with five points apiece, who includes Kuschel, Wilhite and Hill.
 
William Woods held Lyon College offense to just 32 percent from the field and a 37 percent from the three-point line, which is well below the team's 48 and 43 average on the year. The Scots were led by Worlow who recorded a double-double on the night with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
 
"Tonight, we played just well enough to lose," said head coach Nick Totta. "We did a lot of things right, followed the game plan, executed better and saw signs that this group can come together and be pretty good."
 
Totta added, " We need to come out and defend like we did tonight and continue to become a better offensive team."
 
The Owls will have a couple weeks off for break and will return to action Tuesday night against Southwest Baptist University. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m.
 
Fans stay updated on wwuowls.com for a full preview of this match-up.

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