SAN ANTONIO --- The Pioneers closed out the calendar year with a hard-fought road victory, edging Our Lady of the Lake University 72–68 on Monday afternoon at Mabee Gym.
The Pioneers showed resilience after trailing by one at halftime, turning in a strong second-half performance to secure the four-point win. Wayland outscored OLLU 45–40 over the final 20 minutes, shooting an efficient 54.5 percent from the field in the second half after struggling early.
Jamari Lawrence made his 2025-2026 debut and sparked the Pioneer offense, leading all scorers with 17 points while adding five assists and four rebounds. Lawrence was especially impactful after the break, scoring 15 of his points in the second half and hitting timely shots to keep Wayland in control during multiple OLLU runs.
Julian Perez finished with 12 points and made his presence felt on both ends of the floor, while
Daryl Bod and
Chuks Ejiofor each added nine points off the bench. Wayland's depth proved to be a difference-maker, as the Pioneer bench accounted for 41 points compared to 28 for the Saints.
The first half featured tight, back-and-forth action with eight lead changes in the game overall. OLLU held a narrow 28–27 advantage at the break, but Wayland came out of halftime with renewed energy. A mid-second-half surge gave the Pioneers their largest lead of the night at 10 points, fueled by strong interior play and transition scoring.
Wayland dominated the paint with 44 points inside and also held a 42–37 rebounding edge. Defensively, the Pioneers forced 13 OLLU turnovers and converted those into 14 points, helping them withstand a late Saints push in the final minute.
With the victory, the Pioneers improve to 10-3 on the season. Wayland Baptist will take the court again after the New Year when they travel to Oklahoma City for a Sooner Athletic Conference showdown with the Evangels of Mid-America Christian University. The game is scheduled to begin at 8:00 PM.
