Columbia International University Athletics

After having a week off after their first game the Columbia International University men's basketball team was back in action as they hosted the Montreat College Cavaliers. This was the home opener for the Rams, but the Cavaliers came in as a nationally ranked NAIA team. Each team battled, but in the end the Cavaliers came out on top with a 107-78 victory.

At the start of the game you would have thought that the Rams were the ranked team as they opened the game on a 9-1. Over that run the Rams, Damain Hurta hit two threes and Kameron Robinson hit the other. After a jumper from the Cavaliers the Rams would just out to a nine point lead after a three from Jordan Dillingham. Over the next couple minutes the Cavaliers would cut the lead to two, but Hurta would then hit two free throws and a three from Damarcus Gay would give the Rams another seven point lead. The teams would then go back and forth, but at the 10:34 mark the teams would be tied at twenty. Soon after the Cavaliers would take their first lead of the game. The shots started to fall for the Cavaliers and the Rams went cold for a little, so in turn the Cavaliers opened a double digit lead. The Cavaliers would hold onto a double digit lead throughout the rest of the half and take a 57-42 lead into the break.

Just like the first half the Rams would get the first points, but this time it was a two from Hurta. The Rams would battle over the next four minutes as they trimmed the deficit to only six points after a layup from Micah Banks. The Cavaliers would start to regain their lead and they would continue to push it up and down the court. The Rams would have their moments where they battled back, but they just couldn't overcome some inconsistency and fell to the Cavaliers, 107-78.

Columbia International shot 45.5% (25-55) for the game, while Montreat shot 53.8% (35-65), The Rams shot an outrageous twenty-six threes and they made eleven of those...Kameron Robinson led the Rams with 20 points...Damian Hurta had 16 points and nine rebounds...The last Ram in double figures was Jordan Dillingham with 11 points...Montreat had five players score in double figures, as Jalen White led them with 23 points.

"The guys came out hard today, but you have to give credit to Montreat they have a great team with a lot of experience," said Head Coach Marshall Tague. "We played good today, but at points we were inconsistent and unfortunately that inconsistentcy hurt us today, Hopefully as we go throughout the season our inexperience will get smaller and we will be right with teams like Montreat."

Columbia International doesn't have much time off as they are back at it on Tuesday when they travel to Truett-McConnel University for a 7:30 p.m. game.