COLUMBIA, Mo. -
Gideon Harris's career high coupled with another win on the glass propelled Faulkner to Kansas City in a 75-67 win over host and No. 4 seed Columbia Saturday afternoon on the Cougars' home court of the Arena of Southwell Complex as Faulkner advanced to the Round of 16 in Kansas City for the first time since 2022.
Harris hit a layup with 17:16 to go in the first half and the Eagles never trailed again. That bucket sparked an 11-0 run over the next two minutes to pull up to a 15-5 lead. Faulkner got its lead up to 16 before leading 43-30 at half.
With 8:36 to play, Faulkner's lead was just six, but Harris knocked down a triple to push it back to nine before Harris got the steal and the flush to go back to a double-figures lead. With two minutes to go, Caleb Jones found back-to-back buckets and a steal to make it a six point game.
Johnny Anderson hit two free throws for the Cougars to make it a four point game for the first time in over 35 minutes, but that man did it again. Harris hit another big, timely bucket from behind the arc with 48 seconds to go to push the lead back to seven.
Rogers hit one free throw before a block from
Tanner Vogel with 16 seconds to go sealed the deal.
In a battle of two of the top five rebounding teams in the nation, the Eagles were able to convert 12 offensive rebounds into 13 points.to help upset the No. 15 ranked Cougars. The Eagles were also more efficient at the free throw line, converting 73.3 percent of shots while Columbia shot just 50 percent.
Harris ended with 21 points.
KJ Rogers added 15 and
Jordyn Turner-Durley and Vogel added 13. Vogel completed yet another double-double with 15 rebounds. It was the Aussie's 12th double-double in the last 16 games.
Faulkner will take on No. 8 seed Benedictine-Mesa in the Round of 16 on Thursday, March 19. The game time will be announced later tonight. The victory marks the first time the Eagles have made it to "The Muni" under the Opening Rounds format from the road.
