Another fast start, rebound domination boost Pioneers to 68-52 victory over Texas Wesleyan

Racing out of the blocks yet again, 24^th-ranked Wayland Baptist benefited from a 26-4 start and used clutch play down the stretch to post a 68-52 Sooner Athletic Conference victory over Texas Wesleyan University on Saturday afternoon in Hutcherson Center.
 
"It was another great start and another great team win for us," said Pioneers coach Ty Harrelson, whose squad outrebounded the Rams, 50-26.
 
Wayland (10-4, 5-1 SAC) raced to a 19-3 lead in Thursday's win over Southwestern Assemblies of God University, and the Pioneers topped that against the Rams (7-7, 2-4). J.J. Culver, who led Thursday's fast start, was back at it Saturday, scoring 10 of Wayland's first 14 points. Culver finished with game-highs in points with 18 and rebounds with nine. Josh Throns added 14 points for the Pioneers.
 
Harrelson credited assistant coach Landon Hughey for having the Pioneers ready to face the Rams.
 
"Coach Hughey nailed what they do offensively, and we were able to stop that," Harrelson said. "Any time you're getting stops it can lead to offense. We got a couple of buckets in transition, and it was the team's willingness to defend so hard – taking charges and contesting shots – that led to that."
 
"We shot the ball very well in the first half (13-of-25, 52 percent from the field), not as much in the second half (8-of-27, 30 percent)."
 
After taking the big early lead, Wayland's lead was 15, 36-21, at halftime, then the Rams opened the second half on an 11-4 run to get within eight and make it a game again. Texas Wesleyan eventually got within four, 46-42 with just over nine minutes to go.
 
"Wesleyan fought back into the game. They pushed the ball well in transition and were able to get a couple of our big guys in foul trouble, which hurt us," Harrelson said. "Rokas (Mazionis) was dominating the boards."
 
After watching the Rams close to four, Wayland responded with four straight free throws by Throns and CJ Obinwa to double its lead. Wesleyan's Juwan Jones, the only Ram in double figures with 17 points, was fouled on a 3-pointer and drained all three free throws to make it a five-point game, but that's as close as the visitors from Fort Worth got.
 
Jeremy Betjol, playing underneath for Mazionis, hit two free throws and a jumper after a steal by Obinwa, and Culver drove for a layup as the Pioneers stretched the margin back out to double-digits, 56-45, with 5½ to play.
 
"Down the stretch in crunch time Jeremy made a couple of big plays. There were some good passes to him," Harrelson said. "I thought J.J. and Josh were good the whole game. Josh blocked a shot and got a rebound, and also knocked the ball off a guy's knee. I thought those were two really big defensive stops."
 
Wayland eventually led by as many as 18.
 
Along with fast starts, the Pioneers have also benefited from out-rebounding opponents all season, and Saturday's almost 2-to-1 showing was the most lopsided of the season.
 
"We absolutely dominated the glass. We've done really well there all season," Harrelson said. "We have some guys who might not score a lot but they're grabbing those boards."
 
Besides Culver's nine, Mazionis ended with eight boards, Obinwa seven, Throns six and Betjol five.
 
The Pioneers hit 21-of-26 free throws (81 percent), led by Culver's 7-of-7 showing. Obinwa went 5-of-6.
 
"The guys did a good job of attacking the paint and hitting their free throws," Harrelson said.
 
Wesleyan, meanwhile, didn't, making just 10-of-19 foul shots (53 percent) along with only 4-of-21 3-pointers (19 percent).
 
The Pioneers return to the road next week, first facing Oklahoma City at 8 p.m. Thursday. The No. 12 Stars (8-3, 3-2) lost Saturday at USAO, ranked the equivalent of 33^rd, 70-55.
 
"It's always tough at Oak City. They're always one of the top teams in the country, and y\ou don't shoot as well (in Abe Lemons Arena) as you do in the Hutch," Harrelson said. "I think my guys compete in every game, and I'm sure we'll show up ready to compete."
 
Before welcoming Wayland, OCU plays Tuesday at Southwestern Christian.
 
No. 4 Langston suffered its first SAC loss Saturday, going down at home to No. 21 John Brown, 71-68. Wayland, Langston and John Brown now all have one conference loss, while OCU, USAO and Southwestern Christian have two setbacks apiece.
 
"I like the position we're in," Harrelson said. "We're 5-1 in conference, which is the best start in my tenure. We have 10 wins not quite halfway through the season, which is where we need to be."