OKLAHOMA CITY – Wayland Baptist scored 14 unanswered points to break open a close game, and the third-ranked Pioneers dominated the boards to secure a 68-54 Sooner Athletic Conference victory over Oklahoma City University on Saturday afternoon at Abe Lemons Arena.
"To open conference with two road wins is not easy to do," said Wayland coach
Ty Harrelson, whose team defeated Southwestern Christian on Thursday night, 77-65.
In recording their fifth straight win over OCU, Wayland (6-1, 2-0 SAC) was clinging to a 49-45 lead with 8:40 left when the Pioneers set off on their 14-0 run that was highlighted by seven points from
Jack Nobles, including the first 3-pointer of the season by the senior forward. OCU (6-3, 1-1) went five minutes without scoring.
The Pioneers led by as many as 19 points late in the game.
"I thought our defense was phenomenal," Harrelson said. "Coach (Landon) Hughey did a nice job having our guys prepared."
Nobles notched 19 points for the second straight game and led Wayland in scoring in back-to-back outings.
"I think Jack may have had the best weekend since we've had him," Harrelson said of Nobles, who was one of three Pioneers to pull down seven rebounds, along with
J.J. Culver and
Deng Bol Yol.
The coach said teams are starting to make it more difficult on Culver, the NAIA's top scorer who entered the weekend averaging 35 ppg.
"That makes it a lot easier on our guys underneath. Fortunately, Jack was ready," Harrelson said.
Culver still managed 15 points and six assists, along with his seven boards.
"J.J. had another great stat line. His shooting was off a little this weekend, but he made a lot of great plays.'
Matthew Mulloy, in his second game of the season, scored seven points, as did
Tre Fillmore.
"Tre was really good in the second half, and Matt made some big plays. I was really proud of his effort this weekend in his first two collegiate games," Harrelson said.
Wayland ended with a 51-29 rebounding edge.
"That's something we try to focus on. It's one of our keys to victory," Harrelson said.
Wayland also got eight blocks, including three each by Bol Yol and
Jibrael Washington.
"That's kind of what we envisioned before the season started," Harrelson said. "Any time you do that you're making it hard on the other team to score around the basket."
The Pioneers' bench outscored the Stars' substitutes, 26-12.
"I could go down and say something good about everybody on the team," Harrelson said.
The Pioneers hit 24-of-40 (60 percent) of their two-point field goals but just 2-of-18 (11 percent) from three-point range. They were 14-of-18 at the foul stripe (78 percent).
OCU, which got 15 points from Rashaun Coleman and 12 from Kealon Clayborne, shot 35 percent from the field (22-of-63), 22 percent (6-of-27) from long range, and 40 percent (4-of-10) at the free-throw line. The Stars were coming off a 73-41 blowout victory over Oklahoma-Panhandle State.
Having completed a six-game road swing, the Pioneers return home Tuesday to host University of the Southwest in a non-conference game at 6 p.m. Wayland defeated the Mustangs (4-5) on Nov. 5 in Hobbs, N.M., 64-56.
"Hopefully a lot of people come out to watch," Harrelson said. "Our guys are playing well."
