HILLSBORO, Kan. -- The Wayland Baptist Pioneers opened their 2025–26 men's basketball campaign in convincing fashion Friday afternoon, using a dominant second-half surge to pull away from Mount Marty, 76–62, at the Tabor College Gymnasium.
After entering halftime tied 36–36, the Pioneers clamped down defensively and outscored the Lancers 40–26 over the final 20 minutes to secure their first win of the season.
Sophomore guard
Julian Perez led the way for Wayland with 17 points, including two clutch three-pointers and a solid 7-of-9 showing from the free-throw line. Junior
Rico Yarbrough proved to be a force inside, recording 16 points and a team-high six rebounds, and one massive posterizing dunk over a Lancer defender, while
Marcus Green added nine points and a pair of assists.
The Pioneers shot an efficient 57% from the field and 39% from beyond the arc while holding Mount Marty to just 33% shooting in the second half. Wayland's balanced attack and ball movement paid off, with 10 different players contributing to the scoring column and the team posting 20 assists on 27 made baskets.
After a tightly contested first half that saw eight ties and five lead changes, Wayland flipped the momentum early in the second period. A layup from Yarbrough followed by a Perez three-pointer sparked a 15–2 run that put the Pioneers up 57–42 with 12 minutes remaining — a lead they would never relinquish.
Senior
Brett Leach provided valuable minutes off the bench, tallying nine points, four rebounds, and three assists, while
Colton Spencer brought energy with seven points, three assists, and three steals. Defensively, the Pioneers forced 18 Mount Marty turnovers and converted them into 16 points.
Mount Marty's Jake Jensen paced the Lancers with 15 points and six rebounds, but the Pioneers' defensive adjustments in the second half limited the Lancers' perimeter production to just 25% from three after the break.
With the win, Wayland Baptist starts the season 1–0 and will look to carry its momentum into Saturday's matchup as the Pioneers take on Concordia (Neb.) to conclude the Tabor Classic. Tip-off is scheduled for 1:00 PM.
