CLEVELAND, Ohio – Despite a game-high 22 points from junior forward Austin Fowler (Farmington Hills, Mich./Birmingham Brother Rice), the Case Western Reserve University men's basketball team fell by a score of 87-71 to Washington University-St. Louis on Friday evening at Horsburgh Gymnasium.

The Spartans lose their third in a row in dropping to 8-5 overall and 0-2 in the University Athletic Association. Washington wins its third straight to move to 10-3 overall and 2-0 in the UAA.

Fowler's 22 points came on 8-of-11 shooting from the field and 2-of-2 from three-point range. Senior forward Tom Summers (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional) added his fourth double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Trailing 5-4 early in the first half, the Spartans moved ahead 10-5 with back-to-back three-pointers from freshman guard Julien Person (Houston, Texas/Second Baptist) and Fowler at 18:06 and 17:07, respectively. The Bears came back with six in a row and led 11-10 following an Alex Toth jumper at 15:32. The two sides then went back-and-forth before the Spartans grabbed their final lead of 25-24 when Fowler scored a layup with 7:10 left in the half. Undaunted, the Bears closed the half on a 24-14 run and led 48-39 as Ben Hoener hit a layup at the buzzer.

In the second half, the Bears opened on an 8-3 run and led 56-42 when Chris Klimek hit a layup with 17:45 remaining. The Spartans' deficit grew to 19 several minutes later when a Tim Cooney layup moved the score to 73-54 with 9:51 left to play. Case never recovered from that point as the Bears lit up the scoreboard with 87 points – the highest total versus the Spartans this season.

Washington had four players in double-figures led by Hoener with 16 and Klimek with 15.

The Spartans close out a seven-game home stand this Sunday, January 15 at 12:00 p.m. versus the University of Chicago (Ill.).