FULTON, Mo. – For the second consecutive matchup, the William Woods University men's basketball team defeated Columbia College. The Owls defeated the No. 7 Cougars, 84-69, on Saturday afternoon at Anderson Arena.
 
Last season, on February 25th, the Owls defeated then-No. 3 Columbia 65-57.
 
WWU was led by DaShaun Stark and Darrien Dickey, who both scored 19 points in the contest. Brandon Vice followed with 18 points and Ray White added 10 points rounding out the double-figure scorers. WWU shot 50.9 percent from the floor in the contest and hit nine three-pointers against the Cougars.
 
WWU returns to action on Saturday, December 9th when they travel to Rolla, Missouri to face NCAA Division II Missouri S&T in an exhibition contest. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m.
 
Game Flow
The Owls and Cougars came out early and traded baskets. WWU's Brandon Vice and Shad Kimble got the Owls started with two three-pointers. WWU led 6-4 with 17:59 left in the first half. After the Owls held the two-point lead, the Cougars came back and went on a 7-0 run taking a five-point lead, 11-6.
 
William Woods answered back with a five-point run as Ray White hit a two and Kimble hit his second three of the game tying the game at 11-11. With the game tied, both teams continued to trade baskets and the Owls led 18-17 with 10:51 left in the first half.
 
With the Owls ahead, 21-20, with 8:31 left in the first half the Cougars started pulling away from the Owls. Over the next five minutes of action the Cougars went on a 15-2 run taking a 12-point lead over WWU. William Woods trimmed the lead down to eight, 41-33, going into halftime.
 
Columbia stretched the lead to 10, 43-33, right after halftime. WWU came back and went on a 10-1 run trimming the Cougars lead down to one, 44-43, with 16:54 left in the game after a dunk by Stark. After the dunk by Stark, both teams traded baskets and WWU found itself down two, 49-47, with 14:52 left in the game.
 
On the next trip down the court for the Owls, Vice hit a three-pointer putting the Owls ahead by one, 50-49. WWU slowly stretched its lead to six, 59-53, after a three-pointer by Brian Enriquez.
 
Columbia continued making runs at the Owls but each time the Cougars were within four, the Owls answered stretching the lead back to eight points. WWU stretched the lead to 12 points, 71-59, after a jumper by White.
 
With under five minutes to go in the contest, the Owls continued to stretch the lead on the Cougars. WWU grew the lead to as man as 18 points, 79-61, with 1:39 left in the contest. The Cougars did not go away as a layup by Hank Mathews cut the Owls lead down to 11, 80-69, with 1:08 to go.
 
That would be as close as the Owls led the Cougars get and WWU defeated No. 7 Columbia, 84-69.
 
By the Numbers
4 – WWU had four players score in double-figures in the contest
19 – DaShaun Stark and Darrien Dickey led the Owls with 19 points
18 – Brandon Vice Followed with 18 points
14 – Vice led the Owls with 14 rebounds
12 – Stark followed Vice with 12 rebounds in the contest
8 – Stark dished out eight assists in the contest
50.9 – WWU shot 50.9 percent from the floor
9 – The Owls hit nine three-pointers in the win