WBU gains momentum before tough stretch

Box Score Heading into what will be a grueling four-game swing over the next two weeks, the Wayland Baptist Pioneers turned in another solid performance Saturday afternoon in Hutcherson Center, dispatching the John Brown (Ark.) Golden Eagles in Sooner Athletic Conference action, 91-66.
 
"We only had eight turnovers and I thought our defense was great," Wayland coach Ty Harrelson said after the Pioneers (11-5, 3-1 SAC) won their second straight after a three-game slide.
 
The 66 points scored by John Brown (9-6, 1-3) represented Wayland's best defensive effort of the season. The Pioneers weren't too shabby on offense, either, hitting 12-of-28 3-pointers (43 percent) as well as 15-of-17 free throws (88 percent).
 
"We were doing a good job of stepping up there and knocking them down," Harrelson said.
 
Freshman Russell Harrison reached a season scoring high for the second straight game, posting 25 points two days after getting 24 in a 101-82 victory over Bacone.
 
"I thought our freshmen were just awesome," Harrelson said. "Russell Harrison shot a really high percentage (11-of-17 FGs, 65 percent) and grabbed nine boards. J.J. Culver came off the bench and scored 16 points with three rebounds and no turnovers. Tyler Viskovich grabbed nine rebounds. Austin (Mansour) and Chris (Doerue) came off the bench and both made some plays.
 
"That's five freshmen doing a great job in a conference game."
 
Josh Throns also hit 16 points, including 4-of-9 3s, while Maurice Redmond ended with 11.
 
"Mo didn't score as many points as he normally does, but sometimes the team gets so focused on one guy that he creates things for other people by just letting the game come to him;" Harrelson said. "I thought Mo did a great job of leading us and drawing a lot of attention, which made the game easier for everyone else."
Junior Ruben Lopez also sparked the team.
 
"We put Ruben in the middle of the second half and I feel like we went on a run to finish things off," Harrelson said. "He moved the basketball, got his hands on some balls, took a charge, did all of the little things… He has that ability to really get our guys going."
 
The coach said the 5-foot-6 Lopez had the "shot of the game" when he faked a reverse lay-up and got John Brown's 6-foot-8 Benjamin Smith in the air, then spun the other way for an easy bucket. Lopez ended with eight points and a team-high three assists.
 
Leading 41-28 at halftime, the game was never really close in the second half, especially after the Pioneers went on a 19-2 run to expand a 12-point, 61-49 cushion to 29-point, 80-51 blowout. Wayland's largest lead was 31 points.
 
The Pioneers trailed three times in the game, and never by more than a point. The last time was at 21-20. Shortly after that, Wayland went on a 14-2 run to end the half and assume a comfortable 41-28 lead. Lopez scored the last six points of the run, including three free throws when he was fouled on a 3-point attempt then a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
 
John Brown, which ended with 19 turnovers, 11 more than Wayland, was led by Jake Caudle with 18 points and Zach English with 10.
 
Wayland looks ahead to a rare road-home doubleheader next week, first traveling to Oklahoma City to face defending national champion and 10^th-ranked Mid-America Christian (10-4-, 2-1) Thursday before hosting No. 5 Oklahoma City (12-1, 3-0) on Saturday afternoon. Wayland lost to OCU on the road in early December, 107-99.
 
That's followed by home games against No. 19 Texas Wesleyan and Southwestern Assemblies of God, ranked the equivalent of 27^th.
 
"It will be a tough stretch for us, starting with going up to (MACU)" Harrelson said. "Regardless of the outcome, my hope is we play with intensity on defense and just get excited about playing. That excitement is generated by players getting excited for their teammates when they make plays.
 
"I feel like when we do that we play well."