COLUMBIA, S.C.— The Montreat College men's basketball team made the trip to Columbia, S.C. on Friday for an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) contest against the Columbia College Koalas. Entering the matchup on a five-game winning streak, the Koalas stayed hot, shooting lights out en route to a 90-83 victory over the Cavaliers. With the result, the Cavs fell to 11-9 (7-6 AAC) on the year, while CC improved to 10-11 (7-5 AAC).
 
Both sides started the afternoon scorching from deep, with each team drilling four triples in the game's opening seven minutes. Zeke Bullington, Aden Taylor, Lawrence Cole and Amare Elshoush combined for the visitors' four makes from beyond the arc. Two of those triples helped spark an 11-0 spurt that saw Montreat secure its largest lead of the contest, 19-13, midway through the opening half.
 
Columbia responded with a surge, however, retaking the lead behind a 12-4 stretch that included a trio of 3-pointers and a 3-point play (25-23). Owen Stewart and Mike Wade answered to level the score twice, but the hosts continued to drain shots from deep. CC buried nine 3-pointers during the first half, and it entered the intermission with a 40-36 advantage.
 
The Koalas extended their lead out to 46-38 early in the second half with their 10th and 11th made 3-pointers of the game. Montreat answered with a jumper from Elshoush, but turnovers proved costly as Columbia capitalized on extra possessions. By the 11:34 mark, the hosts had built a 15-point edge (61-46).
 
Taylor sparked a comeback attempt, contributing a 3-pointer before Dyllan Barnwell added a few buckets down low. Despite those efforts to close the gap, the Koalas maintained control through consistent scoring. With under four minutes remaining, the home side's lead stood at 76-66.
 
Montreat made one final charge, with Bullington connecting from beyond the arc and both Taylor and Stewart finishing at the rim. The Cavaliers' 7-0 run pulled themselves within a single possession, but they couldn't quite get over the hump. Columbia's school-record tying 13th made 3-pointer helped fend off the visitors, and the Koalas picked up their sixth straight win thanks to a 90-83 final score.
 
The Cavs shot efficiently from the field, making 32 of their 69 tries overall (46.4 percent) and 12 of their 28 3-point attempts (42.9 percent). However, CC's shooting proved to be unmatched on Friday. The hosts went 28-of-55 from the floor (50.9 percent), 13-of-27 from beyond the arc (48.1 percent) and 21-of-26 at the charity stripe (80.8 percent). Montreat converted just seven of its 13 looks at the free-throw line (53.8 percent). The visitors did win the rebounding battle (38-34) and notched more points in the paint (32-24) and second chance points (14-5) than their counterparts.
 
Taylor scored a career-high 32 points on 11-of-15 shooting, and he also matched his season high with eight rebounds. Elshoush contributed 16 points, including four 3-pointers, and provided three assists. Stewart finished with 10 points, six rebounds and a season-high four helpers, showcasing a balanced effort. Cole also thrived on offense by distributing a career-best six assists. Bullington added eight points and recorded four rebounds, while also tallying two steals.

"Columbia is the hottest team in our league right now, and they were clicking on all cylinders," said head coach Anthony Barringer. "They made timely shots and got timely stops, so you have to tip your cap to them. We will continue to seek ways to get better and look forward to getting back on track against Milligan."
 
Montreat remains on the road for its next action on Wednesday, Jan. 28. Tipoff between the Cavaliers and the Milligan University Buffaloes is slated for 7:30 p.m. in Milligan, Tenn.