ROLLA, Mo. – The William Woods University men's basketball team returned to the court after a week off and were defeated by NCAA Division II Missouri S&T, 86-58, in an exhibition contest on Saturday afternoon.
 
WWU shot 37.1 percent for the contest. WWU was led by Jason Walker who scored 10 points in the game. WWU scored 33 of its 58 points in the paint against the Miners.
 
The Owls return to action on Monday, December 11th when they travel to Lawrence, Kansas to face Haskell Indian Nations University. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.
 
Game Flow
Over the first four minutes of the contest, the Miners and Owls traded baskets. With the Owls ahead, 7-5, Dulan Scott hit a three-pointer for the Miners putting Missouri S&T ahead, 8-7. Missouri S&T built its lead to five, 14-9, with 14:06 left in the first half.
 
WWU's Ray White hit a jumper putting the Owls down three, 14-11, with 13:49 left in the first half. The Miners answered with back to back three pointers by Ervin Sarajilic and Scott growing its lead to nine, 20-11, with 12:52 left in the first half.
 
The Owls continued to battle back and jumpers by Darrien Dickey and DaShaun Stark the Owls trailed by five, 22-17. The Miners answered with a 30-5 run over the final 10 minutes of the first half. The Owls scored with 7:48 left in the half when Brandon Vice hit a layup.  
 
After a four-minute scoreless stretch for the Owls, Jason Walker hit a three-pointer putting the Owls down 20, 42-22, with 3:22 left before halftime. Walker's three was the last field goal for the Owls in the half and WWU trailed by 30, 52-22, at halftime.
 
WWU came out and scored the first five points in the second half. Vice had an old fashion three-point play and Shad Kimble had a layup for the Owls. After the Owls scored five, the Miners came back scoring the next seven points, taking a 32-point lead, 59-27, with 16:02 left in the game.
 
The Owls answered back when they went on a 7-0 run that saw Vice and Stark hit back to back jumpers and Kimble hit a three-pointer. After the run, WWU trailed by 25, 59-34, with 13:16 left in the game. After the run the Owls and Miners traded baskets for the next two minutes and WWU trailed by 28, 66-38, with 11:36 left.
 
The Miners grew the lead to 33-points, 75-42, after a pair of free throws with 6:44 to go in the game. WWU trimmed the lead down to 26, 79-53, after a three by Makenzie Fessler and a jumper by Hakeem Simon. WWU continued to battle late in the contest and a three-pointer by Chance Wilkerson put the Owls down by 24, 82-58. WWU would not get any closer and dropped the contest, 86-58, to the Miners.
 
By the Numbers
10 – Jason Walker led the Owls with 10 points
6 for 21 – The Owls were six of 21 on three pointers
13 – WWU had 13 assists in the contest
37.1 – The Owls shot 37.1 percent for the contest
29 – WWU bench players scored 29 points
33 – William Woods scored 33 points in the paint
9 – The Owls committed nine turnovers