Box Score GEORGETOWN –
Jordon Johnson scored a career-high 25 points, and 12
th-ranked Wayland Baptist rallied from a 15-point deficit to defeat Southwestern University in a non-conference game here Tuesday night, 113-99.
Before posting its fifth-straight win, Wayland (9-1) fell behind 25-10 as Southwestern (2-5) hit its first six 3-point attempts.
"We started slowly, and they came out with the hot hand," Wayland coach
Ty Harrelson said.
Unfazed, the Pioneers went on a 17-2 run that tied the score. The game remained close until Wayland pulled away late.
Wayland, which trailed the Pirates at halftime 53-50, fell behind by as many as eight in the second half, 60-52. The Pioneers slowly worked their way back in it, then began putting things in high gear.
"We started playing our game; we opened it up and put some points up on the board, which is what we do," Harrelson said.
Down 80-77, WBU scored 11 straight points. Southwestern hung tough, though, and pulled to within four, 91-87. Wayland's lead was seven, 98-91, when the Pioneers put it away for good with a 10-1 run that gave the Pioneers a 16-point edge, 108-92.
Johnson, whose previous scoring high was 19 points against Dallas Christian earlier this season, missed just two of his 13 shots and also had nine rebounds and five assists.
"Jordon played a great game," Harrelson said.
Maurice Redmond and
Robert Waters finished with 19 points apiece, with Redmond also grabbing eight rebounds. Waters hit 10-of-11 free throws.
Jordan Tolbert tacked on 15 points and
Trevor Mansour nine.
Harrelson credited Mansour with giving the Pioneers a boost off the bench.
"Trevor came in and made a couple of 'and-1s.' That's when we got some separation in the second half," the coach said. "It's good to have him back after a couple of injuries."
Wayland's bench outscored Southwestern's subs, 31-13.
"Probably the difference in the game is we went a little bit deeper," Harrelson said. "We have a strong bench that usually plays pretty well."
Harrelson mentioned
Marshall Nelson (8 points) and
Anietie Jack (7 points), who contributed despite battling foul trouble.
"Both of those guys came in and made some plays. Both are capable of starting for us."
The Pirates got 31 points and 13 rebounds from Ryan Ogden and 28 points from Chris Molina. Ogden, a forward, scored 28 points and had 10 rebounds before halftime, before Wayland adjusted.
"Ogden is a tough match-up; he's tall and left-handed," Harrelson said. "We changed up our defense a little bit in the second half and our guys focused on getting stops."
The Pioneers committed 14 turnovers, eight fewer than the Pirates. WBU ended with 49 rebounds, including 20 on offense that led to 31 second-chance points. SU recorded 43 boards.
"I thought our coaching staff had an excellent scouting report on them and did a good job getting us ready to play," Harrelson said. "They've done a good job all season."
Both teams shot free throws well, with Wayland going 27-of-34 (79 percent) from the stripe and Southwestern 31-of-38 (82 percent). The Pioneers made 40-of-84 (48 percent) from the field, including 6-of-20 (30 percent) from 3-point range. SU shot 42 percent (28-of-66) from the field and 12-of-24 from beyond the arc.
The Pioneers are due to play twice more in the next three days, starting with a 6 p.m. game Thursday against Our Lady of the Lake, which handed Wayland its lone defeat of the season, 114-97, in Plainview on Nov. 20. The Saints were ranked No. 25 at the time.
"Hopefully we get some rest and prepare well for that game," Harrelson said.
Wayland then plays McMurry at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Abilene where they join with the Flying Queens, who play the War Hawks at 5:30.
