Pioneers rally again but fall short

Wayland Baptist came up with an impressive rally for the second straight game against a ranked opponent, but the Pioneers again came up short as they fell to No. 22 Southwestern Assemblies of God University on Saturday afternoon in Hutcherson Center, 96-83.
 
The Pioneers (13-8, 6-6 Sooner Athletic Conference), who on Thursday bowed to No. 19 Texas Wesleyan, 88-81, fell behind by 22 points in the first half when the hot-shooting Lions went on a 23-4 run. Wayland answered with a 20-4 run to pull within six early in the second half, 43-37.
 
But SAGU (17-3, 9-3) got hot again and, after a 12-2 run, quickly had it back to a 16-point spread. The Lions stretched it to 22, but the Pioneers made one final push to close to within seven on three occasions, the last at 90-83 with 1:15 to play.
 
A SAGU turnover gave Wayland a chance to make it a two-possession game, but the Pioneers missed a 3-pointer. After that, the Lions iced it by making 3-of-4 free throws on either side of a missed jumper and turnover by Wayland. SAGU ended the game with an and-one for the final 13-point margin.
 
The Lions hit 12-of-22 3-pointers (55 percent) as part of a 60 percent shooting night from the field (33-of-55). Joshua Kashila and Kentton Williams led SAGU with 23 and 21 points, respectively. Three other Lions scored in double-digits.
 
Wayland, meanwhile, made 9-of-26 3s (35 percent) and 44 percent overall (32-of-72). First-year junior transfer Jibrael Washington paced the Pioneers with a career-high 18 points, tripling his previous high of six as he went 8-of-11 from the field plus pulled down a team-high eight rebounds and blocked three shots. CJ Obinwa got 16 points, J.J. Culver 15 and Bonny Udoh nine.
 
After a four-game win streak on the heels of a four-game losing skid, the Pioneers have dropped three of their last four games as they ended a five-game homestand. WBU now hits the road to take on University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma on Thursday in Chickasha then No. 2 Mid-America Christian (21-1, 11-1) on Saturday afternoon in Oklahoma City. In the first half of conference play in the Hutch, the Pioneers defeated USAO, 74-71, and lost to MACU, 73-58.
 
USAO knocked off No. 10 John Brown at home on Saturday, 90-84 in overtime. MACU, after losing its first game of the season Thursday at John Brown, 81-74, defeated Bacone, 93-63.