WAXAHACHIE – Wayland Baptist hit 11 3-pointers, but that was one fewer than Southwestern Assemblies of God University as the Lions handed the 12
th-ranked Pioneers their first loss of the season here Saturday evening, 88-83.
The Pioneers (4-1, 1-1 Sooner Athletic Conference) led by one at halftime and were up by six, 71-65, with 8½ minutes to play. But the Lions (6-1, 2-0), ranked the equivalent of 43
rd in the NAIA, scored nine unanswered points to take a lead they would never surrender.
It was a 3-point game with 2:00 to play. The teams traded baskets then traded 3-point misses, leading to SAGU hitting a pair of free throws with 25 seconds to play. The Pioneers couldn't convert on offense and the Lions hit two more foul shots that all but iced it, making it a three-possession, seven-point game with 13 seconds left.
A technical foul on the Lions allowed
Josh Servantez to cut it to five, but Servantez missed a 3-pointer and
RJ Mason couldn't connect after an offensive rebound, erasing the Pioneers' zero in the loss column.
Mason led Wayland with 19 points, hitting 5-of-10 3s.
BJ Simmons hit three 3s toward his 15 points, while
D'Michael Bellfield provided a dozen points and nine rebounds. Servantez ended with 10 points.
Tedrick Wolfe added nine points and
Jaxon Recer eight points and five boards.
SAGU, which hit 12-of-24 3s, was led by Cortland Blake's 25 points and Brooks Haddock's 19.
Wayland committed just six turnovers, 11 fewer than SAGU, and attempted nine more field goals and six more free throws. But the Lions shot 48 percent from the field (31-of-61) compared to Wayland's 38 percent (28-of-74), including 11-of-25 3s.
The Pioneers take the court for the final time this month Monday, hosting Randall University (2-8) of Moore, Okla., in a game that has been moved to a 5 p.m. tip. WBU then returns to SAC play Dec. 1 at home against Southwestern Christian.
