COLUMBIA, Mo. - After a dismal first quarter, William Woods (5-4, 0-1 AMC) closed to a four-point halftime deficit at (RV) Stephens (7-4, 2-0 AMC) on Wednesday night, but couldn't withstand a nearly 60-percent second-half shooting pace from the Stars, falling 82-54.
Jersee Wren led the Owls with 13 points on the night.
Woods struggled to find its range in the first quarter, connecting on just two of 12 attempts from the floor including a 0-3 pace from beyond the arc.
Despite trailing 20-7 after the first 10 minutes, the Owls assembled a strong comeback in the second quarter to cut the halftime deficit to four points.
Aiyanna Tanksley jump-started the Woods offense, wrapping a pair of jumpers around a three-pointer by Wren near the 7:00 mark.
WWU closed out the half with an 11-2 run to pull within a 30-26 deficit at the break, but couldn't sustain the momentum into the third quarter. Between the momentum swing and a 60-percent shooting percentage, Stephens built a 59-36 lead in the third and held on for the win.
Woods recovered its shooting touch in the fourth to finish the night at 31.6 percent (18-57), but Stephens hit at a 47.8 percent (32-67) clip on the evening and capitalized on the turnover battle, scoring 33 points on free possessions.
The Owls take a brief detour from conference action before the holiday break, hosting Bethel College on Saturday. With the refinishing project in Anderson Arena, Woods plays host to the Threshers at Westminster College in a 1 p.m. tipoff.
