PLAINVIEW, TX --- The Wayland Baptist men's basketball team kept its perfect start alive Saturday evening, fending off a tough challenge from (RV) Central Baptist College to claim a 95–87 victory inside the Hutcherson Center.
With the win, the Pioneers improved to 3–0 on the season, using a balanced offensive attack and key second-half runs to hold off the Mustangs.
Junior
Chuks Ejifore powered Wayland in the paint, posting a game-high 25 points on 8-of-12 shooting to go with eight rebounds.
Dylan McDougal followed with 17 points, knocking down four threes, while
Marcus Green added 11 points and two steals.
The Pioneers shot an impressive 53.6% from the field and 42.9% from three-point range, displaying both efficiency and depth. Wayland's bench made a massive difference, outscoring Central Baptist's reserves 46–15, led by Ejifore's inside dominance and
Brett Leach's 11 points.
Wayland led 47–41 at halftime but found itself briefly on the ropes early in the second half when Central Baptist's Jason Hunt (26 points) and Caleb Knight (18) heated up from long range. The Mustangs cut the lead to single digits multiple times, but the Pioneers responded with poise and physicality inside, building their largest lead of 21 points midway through the second half.
Central Baptist rallied late behind hot perimeter shooting, but Wayland held firm at the free-throw line, finishing 26-of-34 (76%) from the stripe to seal the win.
The Pioneers (3–0) now turn their attention to next week when they host Randall University on Monday, November 10
th at 7:00 PM in the Hutcherson Center
