The William Woods men’s basketball team overcame a sluggish first half to defeat Westminster College 63-58 in a St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game at Historic Gym, according to the school.
The win improves William Woods’ season record to 13-10 overall and 9-5 in conference play, setting a program record for most wins in a season. The Bluejays, who are 6-18 overall and 2-12 in the SLIAC, led 32-27 at halftime before the Owls mounted a second-half comeback.
William Woods outscored Westminster 41-31 in the second half, shooting 63 percent during that period. The team finished the game with a 56 percent field goal percentage, connecting on 28 of 50 shots. The Owls dominated inside, outscoring Westminster 44-22 in the paint.
Tray Huguley led William Woods with 24 points and 15 rebounds, marking his 15th double-double of the season, a school record. Huguley also dished four assists and shot 12 of 27 from the field. He has scored in double figures in all 21 games this season, with 14 games of 20 or more points.
Junior guard Tyler Shephard contributed 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds. He also blocked three shots and made key plays defensively. Joe Haze Austin and Trent Walker added 10 points apiece, with Walker also recording four assists. Each player pulled down six rebounds.
The game was a makeup from a postponed Jan. 24 contest due to weather. The same teams will meet again Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in Columbus.
