Box Score Bethany, Okla.---Another strong second half by the Wayland Pioneers wasn't enough to overcome a fast start by ninth-ranked Southern Nazarene, leading to a 74-59 Crimson Storm victory. SNU carried a 13-2 start into a 42-23 hafltime advantage and then held off a furious Pioneer rally to improve its record to 13-4 and 9-1 in Sooner Athletic Conference play.
The Pioneers outscored the Storm 36-32 in the second period behind the play of junior point guard Tommie Sanders and sophomore forward Bobby Watkins. Sanders, whose traditional three-point play cut the deficit to nine with 9:41 remaining, scored ten of his 13 points in the final 20 minutes. Watkins, who also finished up with 13 points, scored 11 in the second half and pulled down a game-high ten rebounds to record his first double-double of the year.
The Crimson Storm came into the game as one of the top teams in several NAIA defensive categories, and they certainly lived up to the billing, holding WBU to 59 points and just 31.8 percent shooting from the field. The Pioneers were second in NAIA three-point shooting, but Southern Naz limited Wayland to just six three-pointers on 22 attempts (27.3%).
WBU won almost every other battle in the contest, though, outrebounding the Storm 36-33, and had 19 offensive boards while limiting the home team to five. The Pioneers turned the ball over 14 times compared to 19 by SNU, and led in the thievery department, 9-7.
Four straight home games over the next two weeks will hopefully get the Wayland men (5-10, 1-9) back on the right track. The home stand begins on Thursday night against Northwestern Oklahoma State University.
