PORTALES, N.M. – Wayland Baptist led by 19 points before settling for a 76-70 win over NCAA Division II Eastern New Mexico in an exhibition game for the ninth-ranked Pioneers here Saturday.
"It took a great team effort to win on the road against a Lone Star Conference opponent," WBU coach
Ty Harrelson said. "ENMU was playing their first home game, so the atmosphere was exciting. I thought we played our best game of the season until we got in big foul trouble."
J.J. Culver scored 29 points and pulled down 12 rebounds to lead Wayland, which also got 14 points from C.J. Obinwa and 12 from
Jack Nobles. Culver, Obinwa and Nobles are all seniors.
"Our seniors led the way. I can't say enough about how each of them made plays throughout the game."
Obinwa hit two clutch free throws with 14 seconds left after the Greyhounds, who were making their home debut, pulled to within two points, 72-70, with 16 seconds left.
After Obinwa hit his foul shots, ENMU's Ibn Zaid missed a long 3-pointer.
Jordan Brannon rebounded for Wayland, which got a fast-break bucket by Obinwa to end the scoring.
The Pioneers never trailed in the game.
Leading 47-36 at halftime, Wayland scored the first eight points of the second half to assume a 19-point, 55-36 lead. As Culver hit three free throws and a layup and
Jordan Brannon nailed a 3-pointer, WBU's defense didn't allow ENMU to score for the first 5:25 after halftime.
Wayland led by 13, 70-57, with 5:18 to go, but the Pioneers went more than four minutes without scoring as the Greyhounds put up 11 straight points. Wayland suffered three turnovers and two missed field goals during its dry spell.
After a 3-pointer by Devin Pullum made it 70-68 with 54 seconds left, Culver ended Wayland's drought with a pair of free throws. The teams then traded turnovers, leading up to the final seconds when Obinwa came up big at the foul stripe.
Wayland hit 22-of-26 free throws (85 percent), led by Culver who was 12-of-14.
The Pioneers overcame 22 turnovers in a game that saw the teams combine for 40. Wayland held a 37-31 advantage on the boards, and the game featured 13 blocks, seven by the Pioneers including three by
Deng Bol Yol and two by
Jibrael Washington.
"We need to start calling Jibrael and Deng the SWAT team," Harrelson suggested.
ENMU was paced by Pullum's 23 points. He was the only Greyhound with more than eight points.
Wayland moves to 1-1 in exhibition play this season, having lost to Rice on Nov. 10 in Houston, 65-40.
The Pioneers next host Southwestern Adventist at 8 p.m. Tuesday in what will be Wayland's final game before Christmas.
"We look forward to seeing everyone on Tuesday night at the Ugly Christmas Sweater Game," Harrelson said.
