Point Lookout, MO - College of the Ozarks held off a late comeback from John Brown to earn a 56–53 win Monday night at Keeter Gym. Jay Baxter sealed the victory with a free throw with two seconds remaining.

The Bobcats led 34–25 at halftime after building a first-half lead of up to nine points. John Brown closed the gap in the second half, pulling within 55–53 on a 3-pointer by Josh Stewart with 1:03 left. College of the Ozarks made key defensive stops down the stretch, and Baxter’s free throw restored a three-point lead before the final buzzer.

Garrett Snyder led all scorers with 28 points on 11-of-17 shooting, including 3-of-3 from beyond the arc. He scored 21 points in the first half, highlighted by a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to send the Bobcats into the break with momentum.

Baxter added 12 points, 10 rebounds, and four blocks, anchoring the interior defense. College of the Ozarks held John Brown to 33.9% shooting and made the difference at the free-throw line, converting 14 of 20 attempts compared to John Brown’s 5 of 7.

John Brown stayed close behind a strong effort from Donovan Lovelace, who finished with 12 points and 17 rebounds. His work inside, along with 12 points from Carter Carbonell, helped the visitors cut into the Bobcats’ first-half lead. John Brown made a push early in the second half with baskets from Connor Kern and Josh Stewart and stayed within one possession several times with timely outside shots.

College of the Ozarks shot 37.5% from the field and 33.3% from three-point range, finishing with 10 assists and 10 turnovers. While the Bobcats were outrebounded 38–28, they made key defensive plays when it mattered. College of the Ozarks recorded six steals and four blocks and held John Brown to 23.5% shooting from three-point range.

In front of a solid home crowd at Keeter Gym, the Bobcats held on by answering each John Brown run. Strong first-half play, Garrett Snyder’s scoring, and a final defensive stand helped secure the 56–53 win.