LANGSTON, Okla. --- Wayland Baptist put together one of its grittiest efforts of the season Thursday night, but despite leading for much of the middle quarters, the Flying Queens were unable to withstand a late surge from #11 Langston, falling 73–70 in a tightly contested SAC road matchup.
Wayland (3–7, 3–3 SAC) showcased resilience, sharp shooting from the perimeter, and a dominant night at the free-throw line, but a fourth-quarter rally by the Lions—fueled by timely three-pointers and turnovers—ultimately swung the outcome.
Freshman guard
Cania Mitchell turned in one of her best performances of the season, finishing with 20 points, including a perfect 8-of-8 from the free-throw line. Mitchell was efficient around the basket, battling Langston's size and scoring key buckets during WBU's commanding third quarter.
Guard
Peyton North found her rhythm early and stayed hot throughout, pouring in 19 points on 5-of-9 shooting from deep. North hit several momentum-building threes, including a pair in crunch time that tied or trimmed the Lions' lead.
Behind Mitchell and North, the Queens shot 35% from three and an impressive 86% from the stripe, converting 19-of-22 free throws.
After trailing 18–12 after the first period, Wayland turned the tide with a 24-point second quarter anchored by defensive stops and strong bench contributions.
Forward
Zalika Stevens delivered valuable minutes, scoring six points, grabbing six boards, and assisting on two baskets—playing a key role in Wayland building a 36–27 halftime lead.
That momentum carried into the third, where the Queens stretched their advantage to as many as 16 points at 51–35. Mitchell scored 10 in the quarter, and
Bella Dabbs knocked down a big three to help WBU control the tempo.
Langston (9–2, 5–2 SAC) began its comeback early in the fourth quarter. A three-pointer from Layla Curry and back-to-back buckets from Areyanna Hunter trimmed the lead to one possession. Wayland briefly countered with a clutch jumper from
Kalin Bradley, but Langston capitalized on several empty Queen possessions to seize a 62–61 lead with 6:41 remaining.
The Lions' biggest blow came from sharpshooter Janiyah Tucker, who hit two fourth-quarter threes—including a dagger at the 3:25 mark—to push the Lions ahead 70–67. Tucker finished with a game-high 21 points off the bench.
Mitchell responded with a tough finish inside, cutting the deficit to two with just over two minutes left, but Wayland couldn't convert on its final possessions. A late turnover with seven seconds remaining prevented a final shot at tying the game.
Wayland's reserves outscored Langston's bench 18–12, continuing a season trend of strong production. Along with Stevens' contributions,
Heaven Hayden,
Teodora Popovic, and Bradley added meaningful minutes.
The Queens also dominated second-chance points, winning that category 14–8, and held their own on the boards against a long and athletic Langston squad.
The Flying Queens will return to the floor on Saturday, December 13
th when they travel to McPherson, Kansas for a showdown with Central Christian. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:00 PM.
