FULTON, Mo. – The William Woods University men's basketball team was topped by Missouri Baptist University Thursday evening after holding a double digit lead early in the second half. The Owls dropped the close game 67-65, bringing them to 2-6 on the season with a 2-4 conference mark.

With Makenzie Fessler's final rebound of the night, he broke the WWU career rebounding record with 522 rebounds. 

Redshirt sophomore Jared Crutcher and sophomore Tyriel Nelson marked their name in the record books as they each came up just shy of their respective game day records. Crutcher is now second for blocks in a game with seven. Nelson sits tied for second in assists with 10. 

Crutcher also posted his first double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds. 

The Owls continue their home stretch and look to snap their three-game losing streak on Saturday, Jan. 23, versus Hannibal-LaGrange University. Tip-off is slated for 3 p.m.

By The Numbers
18 – Andrew Nett hit six three-pointers to score a floor-high 18 points.
15 – Jared Crutcher went 7-for-9 from the field for a 15-point performance.
14 – Makenzie Fessler added 14 points to the board (6-for-14 FG). 
10 – Tyriel Nelson recorded 10 assists to put himself tied for second in the record books. Jared Crutcher pulled down 10 rebounds to complete his double-double.
7 – Jared Crutcher blocked seven shots with five coming from the first half to move into second in the record book for game day blocks. 

Game Flow
Jared Crutcher started off the game with three blocks in the first minute on MBU's first three possessions. 

Andrew Nett drained a three to start the scoring. The two teams traded the lead six times over the next eight minutes with neither team going up by more than two. 

With 10:17 on the clock, Makenzie Fessler hit a hook shot to even the score. Nett followed by a three to give the Owls a three-point lead, 15-12. 

MBU evened the score at 15, but Fessler and Nett scored a combined five points to put the Owls up by five, 20-15. 

Crutcher hit a down-low bucket with 5:24 on the clock and followed with a block on the defensive end. Tyriel Nelson grabbed the board and pushed the ball to Nett who swished a three to put the Owls up by six with 5:09 to play in the first half. 

MBU cut the game to two with 3:00 to play.

Mike Robinson hit a three, and 1:30 later, Crutcher drove the ball in for two points to give the Owls a seven-point lead with 1:03 on the clock, 34-27. MBU scored the final two points of the half to start the break with WWU up 34-29.

The Owls pushed the lead to 10 coming into the second half with a two-pointer from Spencer Yoggerst and a traditional three-point play from Crutcher, 39-29. 

Two good free throws from Fessler gave the Owls a 12-point lead with 16:48 on the clock, their largest lead of the game, 44-32. 

MBU put together an 11-0 run over the next three minutes to bring the game within one with 13:28 left in the game, 44-43.

Nelson went 2-for-2 from the foul line to put the Owls up by three, but MBU evened the score for the first time in the second half with 10:40 on the clock, 48-48.

A three from Nett put the Owls back up, but MBU scored on back-to-back buckets to take a one-point lead, 52-51. 

A three from Robinson put the Owls back up with 6:57 on the clock, but an Owls' foul gave MBU two free points. 

MBU pushed out a four-point lead and stayed one step ahead of the Owls. 

Coming out of a timeout and down by two with 1:21 on the clock, Crutcher drove in and hit a jumper to even the score for the seventh time in the game, 65-65.

With 14 seconds on the clock, MBU scored to take a two-point lead, 67-65. Both teams then burned a timeout.

The Owls looked to send the game into overtime, but Fessler's last second shot was blocked to end the game with a 67-65 loss.