COLUMBIA, Mo. – The William Woods University Men's Basketball run came to an end in the AMC Championship game as the Cougars of Columbia College defeated the Owls, 77-74, on Monday night. The Owls had two last second shot attempts to tie the game but they both fell short.
 
The Owls hit 14-of-27 three pointers in the loss to Columbia. Trey Mitchell led the Owls with 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting, including being 4-of-6 from behind the arc. Bryan DeGeare followed with 18 points and Kevin House rounded out the double figure scorers with 15.

William Woods now waits until Wednesday evening to find out if they made the NAIA National Championship. 
 
Game Flow
In a highly contested first 20 minutes of action both teams started out trading buckets in the contest. After Trey Mitchell's second three of the half, the Owls lead 11-10. William Woods stretched the lead to four points, 16-12, after a Bryan DeGeare three pointer.
 
The Cougars battled back and after leading by one, 21-20, Keith Jackson gave the Owls another lead when he hit a three pointer. The Owls led one other time in the first half at 27-26, after a Kevin House jumper.
 
After the jumper the Owls offense went cold as they only scored six points over the final eight and a half minutes of the first half. Columbia slowly grew the lead out to, nine points, 42-33, which would be the halftime score.
 
The Owls outside shooting continued to heat up over the as William Woods went 3-for-5 from behind the arc to start the game. After Mitchell hit a three pointer with 15:30 left in the contest, the Owls and Cougars were tied at 46-46.
 
After the game was tied, Columbia answered with a 14-2 run taking a 60-48 lead over the Owls. Austin Lowery ended the run as he hit a baseline three pointer as the shot clock expired putting the Owls down nine, 60-51.
 
The Cougars grew its lead to 11 points, 71-60, before the Owls started making a run. Over the next two minute stretch, the Owls went on a 9-0 run trimming the Cougars lead down to two, 71-69. The Owls did not go away for the rest of the game and after a pair of free throws by Mitchell put the Owls down one, 72-71.
 
After a pair of free throws by Zach Rockers extended the Cougars lead to 74-71, DeGeare hit a three pointer tying the game at 74-74 with 1:19 left in the contest. The Cougars grew its lead to three points, 77-74, with 16 seconds remaining in the contest and WWU had two shots at tying the game on three pointers but both three pointers by DeGeare missed both three pointers. The Owls dropped the AMC Championship, 77-74.
 
By the Numbers
9 – The Owls trailed by nine points at halftime
5-for-11 – WWU was 5-for 11 on three pointers in the first half
14 – William Woods hit 14 three pointers in the contest
52 % - The Owls shot 52 percent from behind the arc
45 % - WWU shot 45 percent from the floor
20 – Trey Mitchell led the Owls with 20 points on 7-of-13 from the floor
18 – Bryan DeGeare scored 18 points for the Owls