PLAINVIEW --- The Wayland Baptist Flying Queens picked up a hard-fought Sooner Athletic Conference victory Thursday night, defeating Southwestern Christian 60–54 inside the Hutcherson Center in Plainview.
Wayland Baptist improved to 6–9 overall and 5–5 in conference play, using a strong second half to pull away from a tightly contested game that featured nine ties and multiple lead changes early on. After the teams were deadlocked at 12–12 after the first quarter, the Flying Queens gradually found their rhythm and took a 24–22 edge into halftime.
The third quarter proved to be the difference. Wayland Baptist came out with renewed energy on both ends of the floor, outscoring Southwestern Christian 18–10 to build momentum and seize control. The Flying Queens attacked the paint, took care of the basketball, and turned defensive stops into timely scoring opportunities to create separation heading into the final period.
Southwestern Christian made a push in the fourth quarter, cutting into the deficit with aggressive play and trips to the free-throw line, but Wayland Baptist stayed composed down the stretch. The Flying Queens knocked down key free throws and limited second-chance opportunities to close out the six-point win.
Cania Mitchell led Wayland Baptist with a team-high 15 points, seven assists, and three steals, while also pulling down 11 rebounds for a double-double performance.
Jadyn Trusler added 10 points, including timely perimeter shots, and
Brooklyn Birkenfeld provided a strong spark off the bench with 10 points and nine rebounds.
Peyton North contributed eight points, and
Ksenija Djokic chipped in seven while battling inside.
Wayland Baptist won the rebounding battle 49–34 and converted 17-of-22 free throws, which proved crucial in a physical conference matchup. The Flying Queens also received valuable contributions from the bench, outscoring Southwestern Christian's reserves 17–4.
The Flying Queens will look to build on this momentum on Saturday, January 17
th, when they play host to the Stars of Oklahoma City University. The contest is scheduled to begin at 2:00 PM in the Hutcherson Center.
