Box Score OKLAHOMA CITY – The Wayland Baptist Pioneers couldn't build off their biggest win of the season and fell to Oklahoma City University on Thursday night at Abe Lemons Arena, 75-53.
“I didn't feel like we had an edge to start the game, and that's something that falls on me,” Wayland coach
Matt Garnett said. “I have to make sure these guys are ready to play when the ball is tipped. They have to know what it takes to play well in this league, and I didn't do a good job of getting them to that place, and we paid the price for it.”
The game marked the start of Sooner Athletic Conference play for Wayland, which slipped to 13-9 overall and 4-5 in the league. The Stars improved to 10-7, 3-6.
Coming off Saturday's victory over then No. 4 John Brown University, the Pioneers couldn't repeat that performance against the Stars, a team Wayland beat in Plainview, 70-68, on Jan. 12 when OCU was ranked No. 22.
This time, Wayland trailed by as many as 20 points in the first half and never got closer than 11 after intermission.
Tanner Hazelbaker opened play with a hot hand for Wayland, nailing two 3-pointers for the Pioneers' first six points of the game. WBU held a 10-9 lead before the Stars went on a 10-0 run, and the Pioneers never regained the upper hand.
“They got off to a good start shooting the ball,” Garnett said of OCU. “If we were able to hang in there and hit some shots early…”
OCU went on a 12-1 run to break open a 40-20 lead with 2½ minutes left before halftime. The Stars' lead was 40-24 at the break.
Wayland closed the gap to 46-35 on a layup by
Nikola Grbic, but that was as close as the Pioneers could get. OCU led by as many as 25 points late in the game.
“OCU played with more urgency and was more focused,” Garnett said. “I don't think we honored our preparation this week very well, and that falls on our mentality, which again points back to me. I have to make sure they're in that place mentally walking into the gym.”
No Pioneer scored in double figures. Hazelbaker, after his two early 3s, scored just two more points for a team-high eight.
Eric Milam,
Travis Payton and
Juhreece Thompson added seven points each.
Wayland shot 36 percent (20-of-56) from the field, including 29 percent (6-of-21) from three-point range. The Pioneers struggled at the free-throw line, making just 7-of-16 (44 percent), while the Stars hit 21-of-33 foul shots (64 percent). OCU hit almost 50 percent (25-of-51) from the field, including 4-of-15 from 3-point range.
It was Wayland's lowest offensive output of the season. The Pioneers' previous low point total came in a 63-54 loss to St. Thomas-Houston.
For the Stars, Troynell Adams, a 6-foot-4 senior from Chicago, hit 11-of-11 free throws and ended with a season-high 34 points, nine more than his previous best. Charlton Jones added 17 points.
“He came out aggressive,” Garnett said of Adams. In fact, the coach said the entire OCU team was more aggressive, more physical and more mentally tough…“all the areas you can control and and determine whether you answer the call. We didn't do that. We weren't there tonight for very long stretches. We didn't handle things well and didn't come together as a collective unit.”
Wayland had 18 turnovers, compared to 16 for OCU. The Stars held a 42-34 rebounding edge.
Garnett said the Pioneers “have to get better” as they look ahead to Saturday's 3 p.m. game across town against Mid-America Christian, a team Wayland beat 79-74 in Plainview on Jan. 10 after rallying from 17 points down. MACU (11-7, 6-3), which just missed making its first appearance in the Top 25 this week, defeated Lubbock Christian on Thursday, 71-59.
“We can't let one (loss) become more than one. That's the challenge we face,” Garnett said.
The coach said the Pioneers “have to take responsibility” for Thursday's performance.
“OCU deserves credit for their performance, and we – as a collective group, as coaches and players – have to accept what happened and (accept) our shortcomings in order to fix it.”
Of MACU, Garnett said the Evangels are “playing really well” and will be a tremendous challenge in their gym.
“We're going to have to take it possession by possession. That has to become our identity,” he said. “We've shown it, but it hasn't become our identity yet. That has to be who you are. It can't just be how you act sometimes.
“When we honor that type of approach, I believe this group will find success,” he added. “We have to respond.”
