Box Score
Wayland Baptist missed its first two 3-pointers of the game, but not many after that.
Barry Johnson made seven 3-pointers and the Pioneers hit half of their 30 bombs to roll to a 103-80 win over Texas Lutheran on Saturday afternoon during the Pioneer Holiday Classic.
"We weren't in attack mode early on and were playing on our heels, but the guys are really starting to understand that as the ball moves, rhythm is created. They really shot well in rhythm," WBU coach
Matt Garnett said.
Johnson ended with 25 points and led five players in double-figures as the Pioneers (8-1) improved to 6-0 at home. Wayland next meets Dallas Christian (2-11), which topped Texas Lutheran on Friday, 65-64, at 3 p.m. Sunday in Hutcherson Center to conclude the three-day classic.
"Dallas Christian is a well-coached, confident team that really attacks you," Garnett said. "It will be a short turnaround for us and a great simulation of a conference tournament game, playing back-to-back. We have to be able to refocus with a lot of energy. This will be a good test of our character."
The coach said the Pioneers played with "a lot of good energy" against Texas Lutheran (5-5).
"It was good to get back from the break," he said.
Wayland shot 53 percent (35-of-66) from the field, hitting 7-of-15 from 3-point range in the first half and 8-of-15 in the second.
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Johnson, who was 7-of-11 (64 percent) from 3-point range and leads the NAIA in 3-point shooting efficiency (57 percent), was one of five Pioneers to connect from long range.
Plamen Hristov drained 5-of-8 from downtown and had 15 points, while
Markus Monroe,
Kelly Lawson and
Royal Crouch all had 14 points. Lawson ended one rebound shy and Monroe was two assists short of double-doubles.
"Texas Lutheran does some good things defensively. They make you make the extra pass, and I thought our guys did that," Garnett said, pointing to his team's 24 assists. "Ball movement is creating made shots."
Garnett had high praise for several of his players, including Johnson, Lawson, Monroe and Crouch.
"Barry is just playing good basketball," the coach said, "and Kelly is our workhorse. He embraces his role on the team. His selflessness equaled a lot of good individual numbers tonight."
Lawson was 6-of-7 from the free-throw line while Monroe was 7-of-8. WBU hit 18-of-25 (72 percent) from the foul stripe.
"Royal had a really good game. I thought he attacked and made good reads once he attacked," Garnett added. "And Markus was making the extra pass. None of them were trying to force shots, just attacking and reading the defense."
The Bulldogs scored the first four points of the game and were up 12-11 before the Pioneers scored the next 10 points, starting with a pair of 3s from Johnson. That was part of a 15-2 run that put Wayland ahead, 26-14, and it was never really close after that.
WBU led at halftime, 53-32, and the closest Texas Lutheran got in the second half was 15 points. Wayland's largest lead was 27 on two occasions.
"No matter what the scoreboard says, we have to do things on our terms and live up to our identity as a team," Garnett said. "I thought our guys really played well together tonight."
The Bulldogs, who hit 15-of-16 (94 percent) from the free-throw line, were led by Robert Watson Jr. and Jordan Kouremetis with 17 points each. Thomas Verm added 16 points and Garrett Wilkins 15.
Wayland held a 44-33 edge on the boards.
Sunday's game will be Wayland's final tune-up before Sooner Athletic Conference play begins next week.
"We want to play as well as we can and really be focused to play well tomorrow," Garnett said. "We've approached every game this way, but it's really important that we play as well as we can tomorrow.
"Our focus is to be really great defensively. If we can put stops together, that ignites everything we do offensively.
"We have to be a great defensive team the next 21 times we step on the floor."
