ST. LOUIS, Mo. — Missouri Baptist University men's basketball suffered an 86–81 setback to Columbia College on Friday night at the Carl & Deloris Petty SRC, snapping an eight-game home winning streak that dated back to January. The loss drops the Spartans to 10–3 overall and marks their second straight defeat.

Javaris Moye led all scorers with 25 points, going 12-of-15 from the free-throw line while adding four rebounds and four assists. Merquiche Lewis followed with 16 points and a team-high nine rebounds, while Austin Lewis chipped in 15 points, including three 3-pointers. Isaiah Dixon added nine points and a block, and Drew Kegerreis finished with five points and four rebounds.

MBU shot 47.2 percent (25-of-53) from the field and outscored Columbia 36–30 in the paint, but the Cougars connected on nine 3-pointers and went 29-of-40 at the free-throw line to pull away late.

First Half

The opening half featured a tight battle with multiple lead changes. Missouri Baptist held a seven-point lead midway through the half, but Columbia responded with timely perimeter shooting to stay close. The Spartans carried a narrow 39–38 advantage into halftime after shooting 50 percent in the opening 20 minutes.

Second Half

Columbia opened the second half with a surge, using efficient shooting and trips to the free-throw line to build a 10-point cushion midway through the period. MBU answered with a late push, as Moye attacked the basket and converted at the stripe to cut the deficit to one possession in the final minute. The Spartans had multiple opportunities to tie in the closing seconds, but Columbia sealed the win at the free-throw line to secure the five-point victory.

Up Next

MBU will head to its holliday break following an exhibition matchup at the University of Illinois Springfield on Sunday, Dec. 21.