LANGSTON, Okla. – Behind
Jaxon Recer's 15 points and 14 rebounds, Wayland Baptist shook off some Thanksgiving rust before putting away the Langston Lions in Sooner Athletic Conference play here Thursday night, 69-58.
Wayland improved to 6-2 overall and remained unbeaten in conference play at 3-0. Langston remained winless at 0-7, 0-4.
Recer went 7-of-10 from the field toward his 15 points, one off his career-high, and recorded a personal-best 14 boards in securing his first career double-double.
Jordan Brannon added 13 points and
Javorian Miller nine.
The Pioneers trailed by five, 16-11, before scoring nine unanswered points on buckets by four different players. Langston never led again, although it was tied at 25 with 6½ minutes left in the first half. By halftime WBU was up 38-32.
Wayland notched the first six points of the second half – capped by a 3-pointer by Miller – to stretch the lead to a dozen, 44-32. The Pioneers went on a 12-0 run to take their largest lead of the game, 22 points at 60-39.
The Lions rallied late to close to within seven, 65-58, with 53 seconds to play. Wayland iced the game at the foul line where Brannon and
Thad Udoh hit two free throws each.
Wayland dominated the boards, pulling down 53 rebounds compared to 37 for Langston. Seventeen of WBU's rebounds were on the offensive end.
The Pioneers prevailed despite hitting just 11-of-24 (46 percent) from the free-throw line. The Lions were even worse at 8-of-19 (42 percent).
Armani Allen paced Langston with 23 points and nine rebounds.
The Pioneers next head to McPherson, Kan., to battle Central Christian (6-3, 1-2). The Tigers took down Oklahoma-Panhandle State on Thursday, 91-71.
