FULTON, Mo. – The William Woods University men's basketball teams shot as time expired did not fall in and the Owls fell to Missouri Baptist University, 57-56, on Thursday evening at Anderson Arena in American Midwest Conference action.
 
DaShaun Stark led the Owls with 16 points and Ray White followed with 12 points to round out the double-figure scorers. WWU shot 35.7 percent from the floor against the Spartans. With the loss the Owls fall to 3-6 on the season and 1-1 in AMC play.
 
WWU returns to action on Saturday, December 2nd when they host Columbia College in AMC action. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m.
 
Game Flow
Opening the contest, the Spartans and Owls struggled scoring. After a basket by Darrien Dickey, the Owls led by three, 5-2, with 17:32 left in the half. Both teams went the next two minutes without scoring and Pablo Hernandez broke the scoreless streak with a bucket putting the Spartans down one, 5-4.
 
WWU slowly started to grow its lead and after a pair of free throws by Shamari Denson the Owls led by six, 11-5, with 12:47 left in the half. Missouri Baptist continued to battle, and the Owls lead was down to two, 13-11, after a jumper by Jesus Castillo.
 
After the jumper by Castillo, the Owls went on a 10-2 run growing its lead to 13, 26-13, after a Ray White three-pointer with 4:29 left in the half. WWU continued to lead by double-figures until 1:05 left in the half when Torrance Littles hit a jumper in the paint trimming the Owls lead won to nine, 30-21. WWU took the nine-point lead into halftime.
 
Five straight points to open the second half, the Owls lead grew to 14, 35-21, after a Shad Kimble three-pointer. However, the Spartans responded by going on an 8-0 run, trimming the Owls lead down to six, 35-39, after a Pablo Hernandez three-pointer.
 
Missouri Baptist had the Owls lead down to two, 39-37, after a Jahmouri Robinson jumper with 14:39 left in the contest. A Denson three-pointer put the Owls back up by six, 44-38, with 13:06 left in the contest.
 
With the Owls head by two, 46-44, the Spartans took its first lead in the second half after a three pointer by James McKelvin with 9:23 left. After taking the lead, Missouri Baptist grew its lead to five points, 52-47.
 
WWU cut the lead down to three, 52-49, after a layup by Brian Enriquez. After a pair of free throws by the Spartans, WWU trailed by five, 54-49, with 3:41 left in the contest. A three-pointer by Ray White put the Owls down two, 54-52. William Woods continued to battle and found itself down one, 57-56, after a pair of free throws by Stark with 40 second left in the contest.
 
With around 30 seconds to go in the game, the Owls locked up on the defensive end and forced Robinson to miss a two pointer with 10 seconds left in the game and the Owls got the rebound. WWU had one last chance as White drove to the basket and got a shot off right before the buzzer and the ball rolled around the rim but did not fall in and the Owls fell to the Spartans, 57-56.
 
By the Numbers
16 – DaShaun Stark led the Owls with 16 points
8 – WWU had eight assists on the contest
35.7 – William Woods shot 35.7 percent from the floor in the contest
6 – William Woods hit six three pointers in the contest
8 – Brian Enriquez and Brandon Vice led the Owls with eight rebounds
12 – Ray White scored 12 points in the contest
22 – The Owls committed 22 turnovers against the Spartans