NORCROSS, GA -- In the first half of the Columbia and Kell game, the two teams watched each other trade baskets.

Then halftime hit and Columbia switched from a zone to a press and different game broke out. Columbia allowed just 16 second half points to Kell and eventually won out 67-46.

Columbia's pressure forced bad Kell shots and the Eagles took control in the passing lanes to create a balanced offensive attack.

"In the first half we were content with them scoring and then us scoring," Columbia point guard Anthony Rice said." We actually sat down and played defense and did the things that coach taught us to do and we saw what the outcome became."

Rice was great in the first half, scoring all 10 of his points. He finished with a game-high eight assists in the contest. The second half saw a rise in the offense from junior guard Bryce Brown, who scored 11 of his 13 points in the second-half.

"I felt like in the first half they had their heads high and they were running. I think our intensity and the things we were doing slowed them down," Brown said. "The things we weren't doing in the first half we started doing in the second half. I think that's when we put their foot on their necks."

Rice bound forward Maurice Rivers scored a team high 14 points and ripped down eight rebounds in the win. His spring and length in the middle frustrated the Kell offense.

Kell was paced by East Carolina bound forward Grant Bryant, who scored 20 points and grabbed 14 rebounds.