CREVE COEUR, Mo. (Interstat) — In a high-octane, foul-filled rematch of a lopsided loss from earlier this season, the Columbia (Mo.) Cougars exacted revenge with an 86-81 victory over the Missouri Baptist Spartans in a men’s NAIA basketball game Friday night at the Petty Sports and Recreation Complex.

The game, which featured 46 combined fouls and 75 free throw attempts, was ultimately decided at the charity stripe in the final seconds. With the score tied at 81 and just three seconds remaining, Columbia’s Johnny Anderson calmly sank two free throws to break the deadlock. After a Missouri Baptist turnover on the ensuing inbounds play, Anderson returned to the line and sealed the win with two more free throws, capping a dramatic finish.

The most important sequence of the game occurred in the final minute. After Missouri Baptist’s Javaris Moye gave the Spartans an 81-79 lead with a layup with 55 seconds left, Columbia’s AJ Walker answered with a clutch jump shot to tie the game at 81 with 40 seconds on the clock. The Spartans then missed a three-pointer, and a foul by Austin Lewis sent Anderson to the line for the game-deciding free throws.

Anderson, the top star for Columbia, delivered a season-high 26 points, including four critical free throws in the final moments and five three-pointers. His performance powered a Cougars offense that overcame inefficient shooting from the field by capitalizing on Missouri Baptist’s foul trouble. The Spartans committed 26 personal fouls, sending Columbia to the line 40 times. The Cougars made 29 of those attempts.

The game was a stark contrast to the teams’ first meeting on Nov. 12, which Missouri Baptist won 79-62. This time, the teams played a frantic, back-and-forth contest defined by runs. Columbia built an early lead behind Anderson’s outside shooting, but Missouri Baptist’s Merquiche Lewis and Austin Lewis kept the Spartans close. The Cougars led 38-39 after a first quarter that saw both teams’ offenses firing, and the pace remained relentless in the second.

Missouri Baptist’s Javaris Moye led all scorers with 25 points, frequently attacking the basket and drawing fouls, while Merquiche Lewis added 16 points and nine rebounds. Austin Lewis contributed 15 points and three blocks. For Columbia, Jemeal Goines provided crucial interior scoring with 21 points and nine rebounds, and Adam Sausele added 19 points.

Despite the loss, Missouri Baptist posted a slightly more efficient offensive rating, scoring 116.3 points per 100 possessions to Columbia’s 116.2. Both teams struggled from three-point range, with the Spartans making just 5 of 20 and the Cougars connecting on 9 of 23. The rebounding battle was nearly even, with Missouri Baptist holding a slim 35-31 edge.

The win improves Columbia’s season record to 10-2 and snaps a two-game winning streak for Missouri Baptist, which falls to 10-3. The Cougars will next host John Brown on Jan. 3, while the Spartans open the new year on the road at Mount Mercy the same day.