Box Score HOUSTON, Texas --- After allowing 86 points in their first basketball game under new head coach Matt Garnett, the Wayland Baptist Pioneers were looking to improve on the defensive end of the court. On Sunday afternoon against the University of St. Thomas, Garnett's squad did just that, holding the Celts under 60 points. Unfortunately, the Pioneers produced only 49 points of their own in a 58-49 loss.
"I am much happier with our defensive effort this afternoon," said Garnett after the game, "but we did not execute offensively the way we need to in order to compete. Our ball movement was not very good. We have to learn how and be willing to play without the ball in our hand, and need to establish an inside presence."
The WBU men got 11 points and six rebounds from junior guard TJ Jacobs, and ten points each from senior forwards Isaiah Jackson and Bobby Watkins. Jackson had nine rebounds, six on the offensive end, and Watkins hauled down a team-high ten boards.
Wayland, which trailed 25-23 at the half, shot 33 percent from the field (20-of-60) and hit only one of its 15 three-point attempts. The Pioneers were 8-of-16 from the free throw line.
St. Thomas was 20-of-52 from the field, including 4-of-15 from behind the arch, and made good on 14 of its 20 attempts from the charity stripe.
"We have to go back and continue to improve in practice," added Garnett. "I saw great improvement from the first game to this afternoon defensively. We now must do the same on the offensive side of things."
The Pioneers, 1-1, have nine days before their next contest, an exhibition game at Angelo State University on Tuesday, Nov. 15 at 8 p.m. They open at home with back-to-back games on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 17 and 18 against Sul Ross State University and Dallas Christian College. Both those contests are scheduled to tip-off at 6 p.m.
