FULTON, Mo. – Junior DaShaun Stark led the William Woods University men's basketball team past Williams Baptist College, 81-67, on Thursday night. Stark, who just missed out on a triple-double, led the Owls with 21 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in the contest. As a team the Owls shot 52.8 percent from the floor.
 
The Owls had four players score in double-figures led by DaShaun Stark who scored 21 points on 6-of-9 shooting. Jonny Woolf followed scoring 19 points. Torin Washington and Deon Pettigrew rounded out the double-figure scorers with 12 and 10 points, respectfully.
 
William Woods returns to action on Saturday, February 18th when they host Freed-Hardeman University on Senior Day. Tip-off is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. The Owls will honor its seniors prior to the contest.
 
Game Flow
The Owls and Eagles were locked in a back and forth battle contest to open the game as a three by Jonny Woolf gave the Owls a one point lead, 7-6, with 16:32 left in the half. After Woolf's three, the Owls grew the lead to five, 13-8, after a Woolf jumper.
 
William Woods was not done extending the lead as back-to-back three pointers by Woolf grew the Owls lead to 11, 19-8, with 12:54 left in the first half. WWU grew the lead to 15 points, 31-16, after a Deon Pettigrew layup with 6:37 left in the half.
 
WWU grew the lead to as many as 22 points, 38-16, in the first half before the Eagles closed the half on a 11-2 run trimming the Owls lead down to 40-27 heading into halftime.
 
Coming out of the second half the Owls opened the half on a 11-2 run growing its lead back to 22 points in the 16:45 left in the contest. DaShaun Stark hit back-to-back three pointers capping the off the run. After the run the Eagles came back trimming the lead down to 14 points, 55-41, after a EJ Rucker jumper.
 
William Woods continued to hold onto a double-figure lead and after an Antonio Winn three the owls lead was back to 18 points, 65-47, with 7:45 left in the contest. After growing the lead back to 18 points, the Eagles slowly came back and went on a 13-5 run trimming the Owls lead down to 10, 70-60, with 2:56 left in the contest.
 
Williams Baptist trimmed the lead to as low as eight points but that would be as the Owls would let the Eagles get as they grew the lead back to 14 points, 81-67. WWU came away with an 81-67 victory. With the win the Owls claimed its 18th victory of the season.
 
By the Numbers
21 – DaShaun Stark led the Owls with 21 points
4 – WWU had four players score in double-figures
9 – DaShaun Stark led the Owls with nine rebounds and nine points
7 – WWU made seven threes in the contest
36 – The Owls scored 36 points in the paint
23 – William Woods bench scored 23 points
18 – WWU hit 18 free throws in the win
14 – The Owls forced the Eagles into 14 turnovers