FULTON, Mo. – The William Woods University men's basketball team defeated Freed-Hardeman University, 79-69, on Senior Day for the Owls. The win for the Owls improves them to 19-10 on the season and 13-8 in the AMC.
 
William Woods had four players score in double-figures led by Deon Pettigrew with 18 points. DaShaun Stark followed with 15, Trey Mitchell scored 14 and Brandon Vice added 13 points in the win for the Owls. Vice earned a double-double as he led the Owls with 12 rebounds in the contest.
 
WWU returns to action next Saturday, February 25th when they travel to Columbia, Missouri to face Columbia College. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m.
 
Game Flow
WWU came out of the gates scoring the first four points of the game on buckets by Torin Washington and Trey Mitchell. After the quick four points, the Lions called a timeout. With 18:53 left in the half, neither team scored for the next two minutes of the contest. After Freed-Hardeman scored its first bucket of the contest, DaShaun Stark answered with a three-pointer, putting the Owls ahead, 7-2.
 
William Woods continued to extend its lead and after an Antonio Winn three, the Owls led by 10 points, 12-2. Over the next four minutes, the Lions went on an 9-2 run trimming the Owls lead down to three points, 14-11. The Owls responded by scoring the next seven points taking a to point lead, 21-11, with 8:31.
 
The Owls continued to lead the entire first half and with 45 second remaining in the contest, the Owls lead was down to four, 32-28. The Owls closed the half, scoring the final three points taking a seven-point lead, 35-28, into halftime.  
 
Freed-Hardmean continued to battle and cut the Owls lead down to four points, after a pair of free throws by Fitzgerald Hopkins. After the lead was down to four, the Owls grew the lead back to nine points, 43-34, with 16:09 left in the game.
 
The Lions continued to battle and a three pointer by Mika Nuolivirta cut the Owls lead down to four, 46-42. Again, the Owls held strong and grew the lead back to around ten points, but again the Lions made a run at the Owls and with 8:48 left in the contest the Owls led 53-50.
 
WWU and Freed-Hardeman continued to battle back and forth and after three free throws by DaShaun Stark the Owls led by seven, 61-54. The lead would go back to five before a three by Pettigrew grew the lead back to eight, 64-56, with 4:19 left.
 
Freed-Hardeman continued to chip away at the Owls lead and got the lead down to five, twice, but each time the Owls grew the lead back out to eight points. Over the final minute of the contest, the Owls found themselves ahead, 74-64, and the Lions would not get closer as William Woods came away with a 79-69 victory.
 
By the Numbers
18 – Senior Deon Pettigrew led the Owls with 18 points
4 – WWU had four players score in double-figures
6 – William Woods hit six three-pointers in the contest
12 – Brandon Vice led the Owls with 12 rebounds
4 – Vice had four blocks in the win
6 – WWU tailed six shots in the game
15 – The Owls dished out 15 assists in the win
43 – William Woods attempted 43 free throws in the contest; making 31
12 – WWU forced the Lions into 12 turnovers