PLAINVIEW --- The Pioneer men's basketball team delivered an impressive offensive performance Monday night, pulling away in the second half for a 92–82 victory over Oklahoma Panhandle State inside the Hutcherson Center. With the win, the Pioneers extended their winning streak to four games.
The Pioneers improved to 14-4 overall and 8-4 in conference play after shooting nearly 58 percent from the field and outscoring the Aggies 48–41 after halftime.
Wayland Baptist held a slim 44–41 lead at the break following a tightly contested first half that featured multiple lead changes. The Pioneers leaned on balanced scoring early, attacking the paint and sharing the ball to maintain control heading into the locker room.
The second half belonged to Wayland's offense. The Pioneers were nearly unstoppable, connecting on 14-of-19 shots (73.7 percent) in the period and steadily building separation. A key run midway through the half pushed the lead into double digits, and Wayland never looked back.
Rico Yarbrough led all scorers with a dominant 31-point performance, adding seven rebounds, three assists, three blocks, and two steals.
Jamari Lawrence followed with 22 points and a game-high nine assists, while
Dylan McDougal added 19 points, including several timely three-pointers that helped extend the lead.
Chuks Ejiofor rounded out the balanced effort with 16 points and six rebounds.
Wayland Baptist controlled the interior, outscoring Oklahoma Panhandle State 46–22 in points in the paint, while also capitalizing at the free-throw line down the stretch. The Pioneers finished with 19 assists on 33 made field goals, highlighting their unselfish play.
Oklahoma Panhandle State was led by Christian Campbell's 28 points, but the Aggies were unable to keep pace with Wayland's efficiency in the final 20 minutes.
The Pioneers will look to carry their momentum into their next game on Thursday, January 22
nd, when they host Central Christian at 8:00 PM in the Hutcherson Center.
