Pioneers score just 49 but find a way to win again

The Wayland Baptist Pioneers did something Monday they haven't done in more than 60 years: win without scoring more than 50 points.

Wayland captured its fourth straight victory – and second in a row after trailing at halftime – as the Pioneers clipped John Brown University in an ultra-low-scoring Sooner Athletic Conference contest Monday evening at Hutcherson Center, 49-48. The win snapped a six-game slide against JBU dating back to 2018.

In a game which the teams entered on three-game win streaks but saw both struggle offensively, the Pioneers (14-11, 10-8 SAC) trailed by five points, 39-34, with 6:20 to play but from there went on a 12-1 run to take a six-point lead. RJ Mason accounted for eight of those points, starting with a 3-pointer with back-to-back-to-back free throws mixed in.

The Golden Eagles (16-10, 10-8) cut it to 47-45 with 3 minutes to go, but then neither team was able to score – during a series of missed shots and turnovers – until three seconds remained. That's when Mason – after a play that saw referee Nick Atwood plowed over as the Golden Eagles were whistled for a foul on an inbounds play – sank a pair of game-sealing foul shots, points needed after JBU's DJ Ellis nailed a 3 at the buzzer.

Mason led all scorers with 17 points, including 7-of-7 free throws, followed by Thad Udoh with 12. Dylan McDougal and Jibrael Washington added seven point each. JBU got 13 points from Luke Harper and 11 from Ellis.

Both teams struggled shooting, Wayland making just 2-of-18 3s (11 percent) and shooting 34 percent overall (15-of-44) and John Brown making 6-of-29 3s (21 percetn) and 30 percent overall (18-of-60). The Pioneers outscored the visitors from Arkansas by 11 at the free throw line (17-of-24 vs. 6-of-8).

The 49 points were Wayland's lowest total since scoring just 40 in an exhibition against Rice early in the 2019-20 season and lowest in a victory since beating Midwestern State, 38-32, during the 1959-60 season.

Washington was honored before the game for becoming the program's all-time leader in blocked shots in Wayland's win on Saturday against Oklahoma City. Washington, a junior who has 167 blocks in his three seasons at WBU, was presented a commemorative basketball by head coach Clint Galyean.

Wayland plays its final two road games of the regular-season later this week, first facing Texas Wesleyan on Thursday night in Fort Worth then No. 15 Science & Arts of Oklahoma In Chickasha on Saturday afternoon. The Pioneers lost to both the Rams (80-51), who are ranked the equivalent of 42^nd in the NAIA, and 15^th-ranked Drovers (73-70) in the first half of SAC play. TXWES defeated Langston on Monday, 77-66, while S&A nipped Central Christian, 86-85.