Box Score The Pioneers snapped a four-game losing skid with a 78-68 Sooner Athletic Conference win over St. Gregory's on Saturday at Hutcherson Center.
George Williams led the way for Wayland with 15 points. Bobby Watkins and Rodrigo Silva had 14 each, C'Jamarion Leashore added 13, and Nathan Harbour put in 10.
The WBU men, who were up by just four at the half, 35-31, scored the first six points of the second half to take their first double-digit lead.
The Cavaliers came back to get within four at the midway point of the final period, but the Pioneers scored eight straight, half of which were by Harbour, to take a 65-53 lead four minutes later.
St. Gregory's Fayzon Richey showed why he is the conference's leading scorer by nailing down eight straight to bring his team back to within four at the 4:43 mark.
The Pioneers responded with a 6-0 run, four of which came from Leashore, to give themselves some breathing room, and finished up by hitting 7-of-10 free throw attempts in the game's final two minutes.
Richey finished the contest with 38 points. The wiry sophomore hit 6 of his 12 three-point attempts and 10-of-11 shots from the charity stripe.
The win puts the Pioneers at 8-17 overall and 3-15 in conference play. They travel to Waco on Tuesday to take on Baylor University in an exhibition game, and then resume SAC play with two road games, beginning at #23 Northwestern Oklahoma State on Thursday.
