The Park University men's basketball program was in Canton, Mo. on Saturday and dropped their third of four conference games this month to Culver-Stockton College ,86-70. 

The Pirates are sitting at 10th in the Heart with only half a game separating them and the No. 8 spot. Park is 8-10 on the year with a 5-5 Heart of America Athletic Conference schedule. Culver-Stockton earned their first conference win of the season at 1-10 and are 4-15 on the year.

Culver-Stockton began the game with an 8-2 run over the first three minutes. A three and two back-to-back layups by Tyler Burrows got it all back for Park and the lead changed hands at 12:41, 15-13. Culver-Stockton shortly after took back the lead and it remained close down the stretch 28-25 at the 5:01 mark after an Abubakar Kromah free-throw. Two more threes by Culver-Stockton, giving them six made threes in the first half, helped get them into a good position before the halftime break, 42-33. Park was only two-of-nine in the last five minutes before the half, which helped extend the lead for the Wildcats. 

Culver-Stockton gave little ground to Park in the second half and it wouldn't be until the nine minute mark that back-to-back buckets by Kromah got Park back within 10 points, 66-56. Another three by Burrows and a pair of free-throws by Kromah gave some life to Park with 6:47 remaining, 68-61, but Culver-Stockton struck back with a 9-0 run to all but seal it with a 16-point lead under five minutes, 77-61. The separation stayed at 16 points when the final buzzer went out, 86-70.

Park was shooting 32-percent from the field compared to 54-percent by Culver-Stockton. The Pirates were less than their best from deep at three-of-16, while eight-of-18 for Culver-Stockton made a big difference in the matchup.

From the free-throw line, the Pirates scored 25 points at 25-of-37, compared to 14-of-21 for the Wildcats.

The Pirates had seven less turnovers than Culver-Stockton with only eight for the game, but still the Wildcats turned that around for 13 points off turnovers. Park only managed eight points off of 15 turnovers.

Kromah put up 21 points from the bench in his first bit of action this year. 

Otavio Armani has been reliable and put up a double-double with 13 points and 10 boards. 

Burrows was five-of-10 from the field and had a 15-point day, while Amaire Perkins was the final Pirate in double-digit scoring.

Park will play Benedictine, who's No. 8 in the Heart standings, on Wednesday, January 21 at home at 7:30pm in Breckon Sports Center. WATCH
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