FULTON, Mo. – The William Woods University men's basketball team dropped its second AMC contest of the season on Tuesday evening. The Owls were defeated, 89-88, by Lindendwood University – Belleville. The Lynx won the game with a pair of free throws in the final ten seconds.
 
DaShaun Stark led a trio of Owls in double-figures with 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting. Trey Mitchell followed with 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting and Brandon Vice rounded out the trio of double-figure scorers with 14 points. WWU shot 48.4 percent from the floor.
 
The Owls return to action on Thursday, January 5th when they travel to Williams Baptist College to face the Eagles in AMC action. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.
 
Game Flow
The Owls and Lynx were locked in a tight contest, Lindenwood-Belleve held an early 7-5 led after a Trey Mitchell jumper in the paint. The game remained close and another jumper by Mitchell, put the Owls down by two, 13-11, with 15:19 left in the first half.
 
After the Mitchell jumper, the Lynx went on an 8-2 run taking an eight-point lead, 21-13, capped off by a Sean McGee jumper. Lindenwood-Belleville continued to lead and the Owls continued to chip away at the lead and after a pair of free-throws by Mitchell, the Owls found themselves down two, 30-28, with 8:11 left in the first half.
 
WWU cut the lead down to one point, twice in the first half and each time the Lynx had an answer. With WWU down 37-36, DaShaun Stark hit a jumper in the paint putting the Owls ahead, 38-37. After the Owls took the lead the lead changed hands multiple times the remainder of the half and with 3:07 left the Owls found themselves down two, 48-46. The lead again changed hands twice, and a jumper by Mitchell with put the Owls ahead 53-52 going into halftime.
 
Like the first half, each team had an answer for each other's runs and the Lynx had the lead a minute and 15 seconds into the second half, 57-56, after a pair of free throws by Chris Deanes. After the Lynx took the lead, they stretched the lead to seven points, 63-56, with 17:43 left in the half.
 
WWU continued attacking and cut into Lindenwood-Bellevilles lead as four straight points by Brandon Vice put the Owls down two, 68-66. The teams would trade baskets and a three pointer by Deon Pettigrew put the Owls down two, 73-71, with 12:22 left in the contest.
 
The Lynx continued to hold onto the lead until a Mitchell bucket with 8:26 left tied the game at 76-76. The Lynx answered back by scoring eight of the next ten points taking an 84-78 lead with 5:42 left in the game.
 
Lindenwood-Belleville held a seven-point lead 87-80 with 4:25 to go in the contest and the Owls started making its move. The lead was down to five after a pair of free throws by Vice with 3:18 left. Pettigrew put the Owls down two, 87-85, after a layup with 1:14 left in the contest. After an empty possession by Lindenwood-Belleville, the Owls came down and Mitchell hit a three-pointer in the corner putting the Owls ahead, 88-87, with 18 seconds remaining in the contest. However, on the next possession for the Lynx, Deanes was fouled and he hit the two free-throws and the Owls seven game winning streak came to an end as Lindenwood-Belleville defeated the Owls, 89-88.
 
By the Numbers
3 – Three Owls scored in double-figures
24 – DaShaun Stark led the Owls with 24 points
19 – Trey Mitchell followed with 19 points.
7 – Brandon Vice led the Owls with seven rebounds
20 – WWU hit 20-of-30 free throws in the contest
48.4 – William Woods shot 48.4 percent from the contest
15 – WWU dished out 15 assists in the contest
10 – William Woods committed 10 turnovers in the contest
48 – The Owls scored 48 points in the paint
49 – WWU bench scored 49 points in the contest