BRADENTON, Fla. – The No. 24-ranked Wayland Baptist Men's Basketball team opened its 2026-27 season with an 82-65 victory over New College of Florida on Monday evening at Bradenton Christian School. A dominant first-half defensive performance and strong production from the bench helped the Pioneers begin their season with a 1-0 record.
Wayland established its presence early, using efficient shooting and defensive pressure to take control of the contest. After briefly trailing 15-14 midway through the opening half, the Pioneers responded with a 26-7 run to close the period and carry a commanding 40-22 advantage into halftime.
The Pioneers shot an impressive 53.1% from the field in the first half while holding New College of Florida to just 26.7% shooting, including 1-of-12 from beyond the arc.
Wayland continued its offensive success early in the second half, extending its lead to as many as 20 points. However, New College of Florida found its offensive rhythm after the break, outscoring the Pioneers 43-42 in the final 20 minutes. The Banyans cut the deficit to 10 points midway through the half, but Wayland maintained control down the stretch to secure the 17-point victory.
Junior Daryl Bod led the Pioneers offensively, finishing with a team-high 14 points on an efficient 7-of-8 shooting from the field while adding four rebounds. Julian Perez followed with nine points, while Jonathan Williams and Talmadge Taylor each contributed eight points off the bench.
Wayland received tremendous contributions from its reserves, who combined for 45 points. Freddie Cooper and Jeron Lawrence each added seven points, while Predrag Panisic finished with six points and five rebounds.
Isaiah Foster contributed six points, five rebounds and a team-high four assists, while Jordan Logan added four points, six rebounds and three steals.
As a team, the Pioneers shot 52.5% (31-of-59) from the field and 80% (16-of-20) from the free-throw line. Wayland also controlled the interior, outscoring New College of Florida 46-22 in the paint and winning the rebounding battle 41-30.
Defensively, Wayland forced 17 turnovers and recorded 10 steals while limiting New College of Florida to 35.5% shooting for the game. Cyncier Harrison led the Banyans with 17 points, while Ricardo Corvil recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Despite the victory, Head Coach Clint Galyean emphasized the importance of maintaining discipline and consistency throughout the entire game.
"Holding a team to 22 points in the first half was a great start, but our second-half focus was completely unacceptable. We got sloppy with 17 turnovers, lost our discipline, and didn't have the same intensity after halftime. I'm glad we won the battle in the paint and got great production from our bench, but we cannot afford to take our foot off the gas if we want to be the team we can be. We have a quick turnaround tomorrow with a top 15 team in Ave Maria," said Galyean.
Up Next:
The No. 24 Pioneers (1-0) will face an early-season test on Tuesday, October 27, when they travel to Ave Maria, Florida, to take on No. 13-ranked Ave Maria University. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Central Time (7:30 p.m. Eastern) as Wayland looks to build on its season-opening victory in a matchup between a nationally ranked NAIA program.
