Box Score Oklahoma City, Okla.---The Wayland Baptist Pioneers lead the NAIA in three-point shooting, but the Stars from Oklahoma City turned the tide on the Pioneers, knocking down ten of their 19 long distance shots in a 73-52 victory. The loss was the second straight in 2010 for the WBU men, who fell to 4-7 on the season and 0-6 in conference play, while the Stars improved to 5-3 and 3-2.
OCU took an early 16-3 lead over the Pioneers before an 11-4 WBU run, started with a tip-in by Rodrigo Silva, made it 20-14 with seven and a half minutes remaining in the first half. The Stars responded with eight unanswered until Rishi Kakad scored his only two points of the opening period with a lay-in at the 4:30 mark.
Kakad hit his first three-pointer to open the second period to make the score 38-25 in favor of the home team. The Pioneers were able to whittle the lead down to ten at the 15:23 mark on back-to-back threes by Jason Griffin and Kakad and two free throws by Griffin, but that was as close as the WBU men could get.
Wayland shot just 35 percent (17-of-48) from the field for the game, and 33 percent (4of-12) from beyond the arch, while OCU hit 51 percent (28-of-55) of its field goal attempts. The Pioneers did have the edge at the charity stripe, making good on 15 of 23 for 65 percent. The Stars were just 6-of-11 (55 percent) from the free throw line.
Kakad had 15 of his team-high 17 points in the second half. Jason Griffin added 14. Taylor Janowicz pulled down a career-high 11 rebounds to go along with his nine points, three assists and one block. Junior point guard Tommie Sanders also handed out three assists.
The Pioneers return to the friendly confines of Hutcherson Center later this week with games against St. Gregory's University at 8 p.m. on Thursday and #3 Oklahoma Baptist at 3 p.m. on Saturday.
