The Central Methodist men fell short for the first time this season, 79-70, in a heavily contested road matchup against William Woods on Saturday afternoon in Fulton. 

Central falls to 3-1, while the Owls remain perfect at 4-0.

The game started with high energy from both teams. William Woods finished the first half with a narrow four-point lead, outscoring the Eagles 35-31. Kevin Taylor and Francis Okwuosah were pivotal in building the early lead for the Owls, combining for 13 first-half points and eight rebounds.

After knocking down some crucial shots and putting together some defensive stops, the Eagles fought hard to close the gap in the second half. Central came within five points on two different occasions, but the Owls kept their foot on the gas to pick up the 79-70 win.

Destin Jenkins led the Eagles with 14 points, combined with five rebounds and two assists. Bol Tong finished the afternoon with 12 points and six rebounds, while Brandon Tchouya tallied 11 points, four rebounds, and four assists. 

The Owls shot a cool 50.8 percent from the floor compared to 43.9 percent for Central. The battle of the boards went in slight favor of the Eagles, as they outrebounded William Woods, 33-32. 

Central looks to bounce back as they return home to open Heart action against MidAmerica Nazarene at 7:30 p.m. tonight (Wednesday) in Puckett Field House.