Men's Basketball Holds Off William Woods in Home Win

Marshall, Mo. (Jan. 21, 2026)- The Missouri Valley College men's and women's basketball teams hosted William Woods (Mo.) in a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader Wednesday evening inside the Burns Athletic Complex.  The women's team took an early lead and earned a 60-35 win.  The men's team held on late for an 81-73 victory.

The men's game began with Missouri Valley taking control early, putting together a 15-4 run through the opening five minutes of play.  Junior Kamari Slaughter (Gary, Ind.) scored seven points in the stretch, while Junior Devin Davenport (Milwaukee, Wisc.) added four points, and both Freshman Damario Moss (Lexington, Mo.) and Junior Cael Simpson (Gold Coast, Australia) chipped in with one basket apiece.  The Vikings followed with a 14-0 run over a nearly five-minute stretch of play through the midway point of the half.  Slaughter started it off with a three-pointer, followed by a Simpson layup.  Slaughter sank another three-pointer, while a block from Davenport led to a layup from Moss.  Junior Keanu Patrick (Biloxi, Miss.) then added four points and one block to close out the run and make it a 29-6 advantage.  Missouri Valley continued to increase its lead, helped by a three-pointer from Slaughter, two made free throws from Freshman Shalva Meunargia (Tbilisi, Georgia) and a Davenport three-point basket as the score sat at 37-11 with less than six minutes remaining in the half.  Sophomore Darrin Thompson (Huntsville, Ala.) added two made free throws, followed by a jumper from Patrick near the four-minute mark.  Scoring in the half for MVC closed with seven points by Davenport, and the team went into halftime in front, 48-21.

William Woods cut into its deficit at the start of the second half, scoring the opening seven points to close the gap down to 48-28 with three minutes played.  Davenport made a three-pointer to end the Viking drought moments later, and the two teams traded points over the next stretch.  Patrick added four points, and Ferrell put in a jumper to give Missouri Valley a 57-35 lead with just over five minutes gone in the half.  One layup apiece from Moss and Ferrell put the advantage at 61-42 near the 12-minute mark, but the Owls continued to chip away.  William Woods went on a 12-3 run over the next five minutes of play to sit in a 64-54 deficit.  Davenport came back with a layup to make it a 66-54 score at the six-minute mark, then added a pair of free throws to put the lead at 69-56 one minute later.  The Owls continued to stay close and worked the gap down to single-digits for the first time since the opening five minutes of the game, at 69-60.  The Vikings took advantage of free throw opportunities over the final three minutes of the contest to stay in front.  Davenport went 8 of 8 from the line during the stretch, while both Moss and Ferrell added two made free throws each in the closing minutes.  The Owls were unable to work closer late in the game, due to the free throws, and Missouri Valley eventually closed out an 81-73 win.

Davenport led with 29 points, and finished 12 of 12 from the free throw line.  Slaughter had 19 points and eight rebounds, while Patrick came off the bench to score 11 points.  Missouri Valley held a 39-37 advantage in rebounds and forced 10 turnovers in the game.  Missouri Valley swept the season series, which included a 78-66 win in Fulton, Mo., back on Nov. 19.

Missouri Valley improves to 14-6 on the season and 8-4 in the Heart.  William Woods drops to 5-15 overall and 2-10 in the conference.

Up next, the Viking men's and women's basketball teams will travel to Baldwin City, Kan., for a Heart doubleheader with Baker (Kan.), Saturday afternoon.  Women's game at 2 p.m., followed by the men's game at 4 p.m.

Box Score-Click Here

About Missouri Valley College

Standing out as one of the most innovative and student-focused liberal arts colleges in the Midwest, Missouri Valley College (MVC) is committed to preparing students for success beyond the classroom. Through the Viking Voyage program, MVC prioritizes career readiness from day one, equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed to excel after graduation. Each of MVC's 30+ in-demand majors—including nursing, business, cybersecurity, computer science, criminal justice, and exercise science—integrates personal instruction, experiential learning, and professional opportunities to prepare graduates to thrive in a rapidly changing and globally connected world. At Missouri Valley College, higher education is more than earning a degree—it's a transformative journey that begins with the end.