Two Seniors Honored by Pioneers

Box Score

The Pioneers became the latest victim of the surging Rogers State Hillcats on Thursday night, falling 56-44 before a Senior Night crowd at Hutcherson Center. Josh Teague, a four-year letterwinner from Lubbock, and John Hemingway and Hemingway, who played a major role on the Pioneer junior varsity team prior to moving up to the varsity this season, were honored before the start of the game.

RSU came into the contest winners of six straight and in a battle for the top seed in next week's Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament. The Hillcats struggled early, hitting just 33 percent of their field goal attempts in the opening period, but came on strong in the second half, making good on 12 of their final 19 shots from the field.

Bobby Watkins scored the first basket of the game to give the Pioneers the initial lead. Rogers State got baskets on their next three possessions and held on to the lead until Johnny Terra hit a shot in the paint with 4:20 left in the period to tie it at 15.

Senior John Hemingway with Coach Davenport

The Pioneers went up 18-17 almost three minutes later on Nathan Harbour's jumper, but the Hillcats got a late basket by Deveric Taylor to go into the lockerroom up by one, 19-18.

RSU knocked down the first five points of the second period to take a six point advantage. Rodrigo Silva's bucket made it 24-20 with 17:18 on the clock, but the WBU men were held without a field goal for the next eight minutes, allowing the Hillcats to take control.

Watkins was 11-of-12 from the free throw line and led the Pioneers with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Harbour added 14 points. John Boyd had a game-high 18 for Rogers State, which improved to 19-9 and are tied with Southern Nazarene for second place in the SAC standings at 15-6, one game behind frontrunner Oklahoma Baptist.

Wayland had a big advantage on the boards, 34-22, but shot just 34 percent from the field and were held without a three-pointer for the first time all year. The Pioneers conclude their season on Saturday with a Homecoming matchup against John Brown University.