CHICKASHA, Okla. – Thanks to a dominating second half, Wayland Baptist picked up a much-needed Sooner Athletic Conference win over University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma here Thursday night, 87-70.
The Pioneers (14-8, 7-6 SAC) trailed by 11, 37-26, early in the second half. Ten minutes later, Wayland led by 11, 61-50, eventually taking as much as a 19-point lead.
J.J. Culver put in 22 points plus pulled down seven rebounds and grabbed four steals with just one turnover in 31 minutes.
Jack Nobles finished with 14 points, seven rebounds and a team-high four assists, while
Bonny Udoh tacked on 11 points with
Tre Fillmore and
Matthew Mulloy getting 10 each. Fillmore matched Culver's and Nobles' seven rebounds.
The win snapped Wayland's two-game skid and completed a regular-season sweep of the Drovers (11-12, 5-8), who were coming off a 90-84 overtime upset of No. 10 John Brown on Saturday.
After shooting 24 percent (8-of-34) from the field in the first half, including 3-of-15 (20 percent) 3-pointers, Wayland hit 67 percent (24-of-36) overall and 40 percent (4-of-10) in the second half. The Pioneers went 16-of-21 (76 percent) from the free-throw line.
Dylan Causwell and Stephon Hall scored 13 points each to lead five Drovers in double-figures. USAO hit just 6-of-32 3-pointers (19 percent) while shooting 36 percent (26-of-73) overall. The home team went 12-of-15 (80 percent) at the foul stripe.
Wayland, which outrebounded USAO, 44-35, owned an 18-8 lead, but the Drovers got right back in it with a 14-4 run that tied it at 22. The Drovers scored the last seven points of the first half and the first five of the second for a 37-26 lead.
An "and-one" by Udoh kicked off an 8-0 run for Wayland. Another 8-0 run by the Pioneers, capped by another "and-one" by
Hunter Henderson, put the visitors ahead 44-41.
WBU was clinging to a 51-50 lead when the Pioneers scored a dozen straight points, the first 10 by Culver, to make it a 13-point spread, 63-50, that essentially clinched the win.
The Pioneers take their momentum to Oklahoma City where they take on No. 2 Mid-America Christian (22-1, 12-1), which defeated Oklahoma-Panhandle State on Thursday, 88-55. The Evangels suffered their first loss of the season a week ago in Siloam Springs, Ark., against No. 10 John Brown, 81-74.
MACU is unbeaten in 12 home games this season.
