OKLAHOMA CITY – Wayland Baptist started and ended the game with big scoring runs as the Pioneers knocked off Mid-America Christian behind
RJ Mason's career-high 26 points here Thursday night, 62-57.
The Pioneers (10-10, 6-7 Sooner Athletic Conference) hit 26-of-31 free throws while the Evangels (11-9, 4-8) struggled in making 13-of-27.
Wayland, which took a 10-2 lead out of the gates, led 28-26 at halftime. The Evangels took their first lead early in the second half, eventually assuming a nine-point advantage, 47-38, after 10 unanswered points.
The Pioneers chipped away at the lead, tying it on three occasions before overtaking MACU when Mason hit three free throws after being fouled on a 3-pointer with just over a minute to play.
MACU missed layups on consecutive possessions, and after the second Mason hit two more foul shots with 14 seconds left. Following a missed MACU 3-pointer, WBU's
Dylan McDougal added one more free throw with seven ticks left to complete the scoring.
Wayland outscored MACU 12-3 in the final four minutes, going from a four-point, 54-50 deficit to the five-point win.
Mason's 26 points – boosted by a 12-of-13 effort from the free-throw line – were nine more than his previous best.
Parrish Hewitt, coming off of a triple-double in Tuesday's win over Oklahoma-Panhandle State, ended with 16 points (8-of-10 FTs), while
Jordan Brannon had eight.
Jaxon Recer did not score but pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds, an area where Wayland held a 39-39 advantage.
Thad Udoh got seven boards.
Wayland, which opened SAC play with a 57-54 win over then No. 21 MACU on Nov. 20 in Plainview, won despite committing a season-worst 25 turnovers.
Neither team shined shooting 3s as Wayland made just 2-of-17 and MACU 4-of-19.
The Evangels were led by Terrance Jones and Isaiah Hammons, both of whom came off the bench to score 14 points.
WBU is back in action at 4 p.m. Saturday in Bethany, Okla., against Southwestern Christian (9-5, 7-4), which hosted OPSU on Thursday. The Pioneers defeated the Eagles in the first half of conference play, 71-66.
Josh Servantez scored 22 and Brannon 21 in that win.
