COLUMBIA, Missouri - The Lyon College Scots men's basketball team had its season come to an end in the first round of the American Midwest Conference tournament with a 90-66 loss to the Columbia College Cougars on Thursday night in Columbia.

The Scots (9-16) were led in scoring by Israel Palmer with 25 points, Nikola SaSaroga and John Paul Morgan both scored 12 points each, Trent Bell had seven points and Sando Hill finished with six points, Devan Halford and John Michael Stastny both scored a basket in the loss.

The Scots scored 30 of their 66 points in the paint, got nine points off of turnovers and 16 second chance points. Lyon led 2-0 for the first minute of the game.

Palmer scored to open the game for the Scots and added two free throws a few minutes later. SaSaroga made a free throw, got a dunk and hit a three-pointer to cut the Columbia lead to 13-10. Palmer made a jumper to trim the lead to one point, but the Cougars went on an 8-2 run. Morgan and Hill both scored and Palmer's layup with 9:52 to go in the first half cut the lead to three points, 21-18. 
Columbia went on a 10-3 run to go up by 10 points. Bell hit a three pointer for the scores, while Palmer and SaSaroga scored inside. With 3:05 left in the half, Columbia led by 12 points, 39-37. The lead grew by as much as 13 points just before halftime, but Hill put in a layup as the Scots trailed 44-33 at halftime.

Columbia scored the first four points of the second half before Hill made two free throws for the Scots. Palmer scored three times in a row, but the Cougars' lead continued to grow. It was 16 points, 54-38 with 16:18 to go. By the 12:15 mark, Columbia led by 20 points 65-45.