Pioneers fall short in bid for another overtime win

After a dominating overtime performance in a win over the NAIA's No. 22 team to start the week, Wayland Baptist came up a point shy in another overtime contest Thursday night in Hutcherson Center where the Pioneers fell just short of Southwestern Christian, 78-77.

In Wayland's first home game since October 30, Wayland suffered its first Sooner Athletic Conference setback when the Eagles (3-3, 2-1 SAC) outscored the Pioneers 10-9 in the extra period.

Senior guard Charles Dickson hit a jumper from the right elbow with nine seconds left to give the Eagles a one-point lead. Without any timeouts left, the Pioneers hurried up the floor but made one too many passes before trying to get a shot off. The ball bounced out of bounds on the wing as time expired.

The game was tight throughout and featured 12 ties and 17 lead changes, including six in overtime. The largest lead for both teams was seven points. Wayland held that margin twice, once in the first half and again in the second, 57-50, with just over seven minutes to play in regulation.

But the Eagles went on a 10-3 run to gain control late. They were up by four with under two to play, but a 3-point play by Thad Udoh gave Wayland life. Jordan Williams hit one of two free throws for the Eagles with 21 seconds left to make it a two-point game, but WBU's Chinedu Okonkwo made a strong move to the bucket and hit a short, clutch jumper with five ticks to play to tie it.

When the Eagles missed a 3-pointer from the corner in front of their bench at the buzzer, the teams headed to OT.

Neither team led by more than two points after that.

Senior Tre Fillmore bounced in 21 points and Devin Avent 20 to lead Wayland. Udoh added 15, while Jibrael Washington pulled down a game-best 10 rebounds. Okonkwo ended with seven points and nine boards.

The Pioneers were hurt by 23 turnovers, the most for the team in almost two years. The Eagles turned it over 10 fewer times than Wayland, which outrebounded SCU, 41-30. The Pioneers doubled the Eagles' offensive rebounds, 14-7.

SCU launched 29 3-pointers, hitting 11 (38 percent), while Wayland was good on 9-of-26 3s (35 percent).

The Pioneers are next in action at 8 p.m. Tuesday against Oklahoma-Panhandle State in the Hutch. Wayland's game on Saturday against Oklahoma City University was postponed due to OCU only recently starting to practice this semester.