Box Score COLUMBIA, Mo. - In front of a larger visiting Owls student section than the host Cougars, No. 14 William Woods University (21-2, 13-1 American Midwest Conference) earned its first win, 87-80 - and first series sweep - in seven years at Columbia College (18-6, 11-3), Thursday at Southwell Complex. As a result, the Owls all but denied the Cougars' outside chance of being the No. 1 seed in the AMC Tournament. 

"We showed a lot of toughness and togetherness tonight," William Woods men's basketball coach Jordan Ashton said. "We still can be better in some areas, but even when things weren't going our way, our guys stayed together, trusted the game plan, and kept fighting."

With William Woods' Francis Okwuosah and Columbia's Collin Parker named to Small College Basketball's top 100 players to watch for the Bevo Francis Award - given to the best overall player among NAIA and NCAA Division II-III levels - the light was naturally on those two on the night.

Okwuosah's 27 efficiency rating (the most commonly used statistical benchmark for comparing players' overall value; 15 is considered an average rating) was five ahead of Parker. Okwuosah finished with a game-high 24 points (7-13 field goals, 6-7 free throws and four 3-pointers), six rebounds, two assists and two steals, while Parker had 17 points (5-12 field goals, 4-6 free throws and three 3-pointers), a game-high 11 boards, three assists and one steal. 

While Parker was the only Cougar with more than five boards, Okwuosah was one of two Owls, with Henry Shannon III bringing down a team-high nine rebounds - he also had 14 points (7-12 field goals), two blocks and one assist. Other standouts for WWU were D'Mari Wiltz with 13 points (5-8 free throws), eight assists, five boards and one steal, and Kevin Taylor with 10 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals. 

Rebounding has been a strength for the Owls all season, and they were already showing that on the opening possession as Tre Titus collected a Cougar miss from deep before Wiltz landed a jumper to send WWU ahead 2-0. A few possessions later, CC took a 3-2 advantage on Parker's 3-pointer, and Shannon replied instantly with a putback to make it 4-3 Owls. Staying back and forth, the Cougars tied it at 6 on Harrison Vickers' 3-pointer. Shannon did it again, giving WWU an 8-6 lead on his layup off Wiltz's defensive board, but Vickers evened it at 8 on CC's ensuing drive. There was one more string of lead changes and ties in the first half: Wiltz hit a jumper to hand the Owls the lead, Parker scored an inside basket to knot it, and then Taylor put WWU in front for the remainder of the half when he got a layup to fall, which made it 12-10 Owls with 14:18 before halftime.

Going on a 15-5 run, William Woods stretched its lead to a game-high 12 points. During that period, Aaiden Ashton drained two 3-pointers, with his second capping the run and making it 30-18 Owls. Unfortunately for WWU, CC ended the first half on a 20-8 run to reduce the Owls' lead to 42-38 at halftime. 

A fun duo to watch of late, Shannon opened the second half, putting down a dunk assisted by Wiltz to extend Woods' lead to six points. However, the Cougars answered with an 8-1 run to put them up 46-45. The Owls took three leads from 18:02 to 16:35, the last on Nate Schwartze's jumper. Schwartze made a free throw on WWU's next possession to increase its lead to 53-51, but CC went back ahead and stayed on top until Okwuosah swished in two free throws to knot it at 58 with 13:16 remaining. From there, there were four ties and four lead changes (three CC leads, one WWU lead), and then suddenly, it was all Owls for the final 7:38.

Changing the game's trajectory, Taylor launched two free throws into the hoop to send WWU up by two (71-69), riding that lead to the final buzzer. Using a combination of free-throw and 3-point shooting to stay in front, the Owls made 5-5 at the stripe and nailed three 3-pointers in the last 7:38. Meanwhile, the Cougars went 3-11 from the field, 1-9 from deep and 5-9 at the line while turning it over twice in the last 7:38.

For the game, William Woods posted 35 rebounds (13 offensive) with 13 second-chance points, tallied 19 points off 12 forced turnovers and shot 46.9% (30-64) from the field, 37% (10-27) from 3-point range and 73.9% (17-23) at the free-throw line. Columbia collected 37 boards (12 offensive) with eight second-chance points, scored nine points off eight forced turnovers and converted 45.6% (26-57) from the field, 37% (10-27) from deep and 66.7% (18-27) at the stripe.

The Owls conclude their three-game week against Hannibal-LaGrange University (10-10, 7-6 AMC) at 3 p.m. Saturday at Mabee Sports Complex in Hannibal. William Woods looks to secure the season sweep after beating the Trojans 74-43 on Dec. 14 in Fulton.

"Another tough road game on Saturday," Ashton said. "We need to prepare the right way and be ready to go."