Box Score Jason Griffin scored a game-high 22 points leading a group of four Pioneers in double figures in a 71-63 win over St. Gregory's University. The victory was the 1,000th in program history and the WBU men celebrated afterwards with a group of former Pioneers in town for Homecoming festivities.
Seniors Jon Hurt and Tyrone Crawford, playing in their final home games in a Wayland uniform, scored 15 and 11 points respectively. Hurt had five rebounds and six assists, while Crawford handed out seven assists and had seven rebounds.
Teddy Chambers was the other Pioneer in double figures with ten points. The junior also pulled down a game-high nine boards.
Wayland shot just 39 percent from the field during the first period, but held the Cavaliers to 29 percent, so was able to take a 30-21 lead into the dressing room at the half.
The Pioneers came out tentatively in the early stages of the second half, allowing the visitors to stay close and even to take a brief lead with 14 and a half minutes left in the game, but Coach Robert Davenport's team responded with a 16-3 run.
Hurt made two consecutive three-pointers to start the run and Griffin hit back-to-back treys at the end, giving the Pioneers a 51-39 advantage with just under ten minutes on the clock.
SGU made a brief run to cut the lead to four at 53-49 with 5:44 remaining, but the WBU men made 10-of-12 free throws down the stretch to seal the win.
Pioneer turnovers allowed the Cavaliers to stay in the game in the second half. St. Greg's converted 13 Wayland turnovers in the final period into nine points. When the Pioneers did retain possession, they put the ball in the basket 58 percent of the time during the last 20 minutes.
The WBU men, 15-13 and 7-13, have two more road games to close out the regular season. On Thursday, they take on Southern Nazarene University at 8 p.m. in Bethany, Okla., and then they take on USAO on Saturday afternoon at 3.
