ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The William Woods University men's basketball team snapped a three-game losing streak Thursday night when they defeated Missouri Baptist University, 63-60, in the American Midwest Conference Game of the Week.
 
DaShaun Stark led the Owls with 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Trey Mitchell followed with 13 points, while Brandon Vice and Torin Washington rounded out the double-figure scorers with 12 and 11 points respectfully. Washington grabbed a team-high 12 rebounds for a double-double against the Spartans. WWU shot 36.7 percent from the field in the contest.
 
WWU returns to action on Saturday January 28th when they travel to St. Louis, Missouri to face Harris-Stowe State University. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m.
 
Game Flow
William Woods got off to a sluggish start against the Spartans as Missouri Baptist scored the first nine points of the contest and the Owls found themselves down 9-0 in the first 2:20 of the contest. However, the Owls battled right back and after the three-pointer by Brandon Vice, the Owls trailed by one, 9-8.
 
The game remained close and the Spartans led the Owls by four, 12-8, before the Owls came back taking its first lead of the contest. DaShaun Stark hit a three-pointer putting the Owls ahead, 16-14, with 13:55 left in the half. WWU and MBU continued to battle and the Owls took the lead at 22-20, after a Trey Mitchell jumper with 10:42 left in the half.
 
The scoring slowed down the final 10:42 of the first half as the Owls were held to eight points the remainder of the half, but the Owls picked up the defense only allowing the Spartans to score 10 points. With 2:37 left Stark hit a three putting WWU ahead, 29-26. The Spartans scored the next four taking a one point lead, 30-29, before a Torin Washington free throw tied the game. At halftime, the Spartans and Owls were tied at 40.
 
The Owls and Spartans remained close in the second half of the contest as they traded leads multiple teams over the first three minutes of the second half. Klayton Kuschel gave the Owls a one point lead, 36-35, with 14:39 left in the contest.
 
After the Owls took the lead, Missouri Baptist scored the next five points capped by a Jahmouri Robinson jumper putting the Spartans ahead by four, 40-36. WWU came right back and back-to-back three pointers by Stark and Jonny Woolf the Owls found themselves ahead, 43-42, with 12:02 left in the contest.
 
Missouri Baptist again looked as if they would pull away as they grew its lead to four points, 49-45, after a pair of free throws by Johnny Benson. The Owls answered right back and Vice scored three points and a jump by Trey Mitchell put the Owls on top, 50-49, with 5:37 left in the game.
 
After a jumper put the Spartans ahead, 51-50, the Owls scored the next five points taking a 55-51 lead. Mitchell capped the run with a three-pointer. However, the Spartans would not go away as they answered back with a 7-0 run taking a 58-55 lead over the Owls with 2:57 left in the contest.
 
William Woods came right back and a pair of free throws by Torin Washington put the Owls down one. After a Missouri Baptist turnover, a pair of free throws by Stark put the Owls ahead 59-58. After the Owls took the lead they would not trail again as Vice hit a jumper in the paint putting the Owls ahead by three, 61-58, with 40 seconds remaining in the game. The Owls grew the lead to five before Missouri Baptist hit a shot at the buzzer. WWU came away with a 63-60, victory over Missouri Baptist in the AMC Game of the Week.
 
By the Numbers
4 – WWU had four players score in double-figures
17 – DaShaun Stark led the Owls with 17 points in the game
10 – WWU had 10 assists on 22 made field goals
36.7 – William Woods shot 36.7 percent from the floor in the win
7 – The Owls hit seven three-pointers in the contest
18 – William Woods scored 18 points in the paint
12 – Torin Washington led the Owls with 12 rebounds