Cougars fall in overtime to Ashford College
Friday, November 20, 2009
Canton, Mo. – The Columbia College Cougars took another tough loss on the road tonight, falling to Ashford (Iowa) College 81-74 in overtime. With the loss the Cougars, ranked No. 19 in the preseason NAIA Top 25 poll, fall to 2-4 on the season. The Cougars fell in overtime to Ashford College tonight 81-74. The Saints improve to 5-3 overall with the victory.
After being down by as many as nine in the first frame, the Cougars came back to tie the score at 21 midway through the half. Columbia took a three-point lead around the eight minute mark and held it for the remainder of the half, leading Ashford 35-34 at the break.
The Saints took an immediate lead in the second half . The two teams battled back and forth for the next 20 minutes with less than four points separating them then entire time. With 46 seconds remaining Reo Quarles would sink one of his two free throws to give Columbia a one point lead. 20 seconds later the Saints would have their chance at the line, making only one of their two attempts and knotting the score at 64. The Cougars were able to get two shots off in the remaining time, but were not able to sink either one of them, sending the game into overtime.
In the five minute overtime frame Columbia would jump on top by two on a made basket by Chad Thompson. After that it spiraled downward for the Cougars, turning the ball over on back-to-back possessions and missed shot after missed shot would put Columbia in an eight point hole that they were not able to dig themselves out of.
Thompson’s 17 points led Columbia. He was five-for-nine from the field and six-for-six from the charity stripe. Quintin Totta finished with 11 points. Quarles pulled down a team high 10 rebounds and three blocked shots.
Columbia remains in Canton, Mo. to face off against Culver-Stockton (Mo.) College on Saturday, November 21st at 3:00 p.m.