Complete Box Score

EDMOND, Oklahoma – Just four days after setting a season high with 98 points in a win over Concordia University, the Texas Wesleyan men’s basketball team traveled to Edmond, Oklahoma on Friday for the Eagle Sleep Inn Classic tournament and recorded their lowest total of the season against NAIA competition, falling to host Oklahoma Christian University, 85-66. For the Rams, who were outshot 56 percent to 43 percent on the night, the loss is their first in 12 games against non-NCAA Division I programs this season.

“Giving up 56 percent shooting from the field isn’t going to help you beat anybody,” said Rams head coach Terry Waldrop after the game. “Especially a top program like Oklahoma Christian.”

The Eagles, who fell from the NAIA top 25 list this past week after two close losses on the road, jumped out to an early 4-0 lead on baskets senior stars Osric Woods and Devon Nightengale. The Rams responded with buckets by David Johnson and James Whitfield, and the teams continued to battle nearly point for point until midway through the opening half.

Then, with 9:39 remaining and the OCU ahead 23-22, Kory Allen’s only basket of the evening sparked a 9-0 run for the Eagles, capped by Zach Hawley’s three-pointer with just under eight minutes left in the half. The Rams responded with an 11-4 run, sparked by David Johnson’s two baskets and a three point play by Marcus Johnson, which cut the lead to three at 36-33, but the Eagles came right back with a 10-2 run over the final four minutes to bring the score to 46-35 at halftime.

The beginning of the second half looked amazingly similar to the end of the first. Oklahoma Christian sprinted out of the gate, scoring ten of the first 12 points to build up a 56-37 lead. After a driving lay-up by Marcus Johnson, a three-pointer by Jarred Merrill with 17:10 on the clock increased the Eagles’ lead to twenty, which would be their biggest advantage of the night.

Led by Whitfield and Marcus Johnson, the Rams chipped away at the lead over the next several minutes. Consecutive baskets by Joey Gladney midway through the half, followed by a Whitfield steal and lay-up cut the lead back to nine points at 69-60, and forced OCU coach Dan Hays to call a timeout. It looked like the Rams might have enough momentum to climb back into the contest, but the Eagles returned to the floor scoring eight of the next nine points, and resumed a comfortable lead at 77-61 with 5:40 left to play.

The Eagles then began to spread their offense out, passing the ball around the perimeter to run off as much time as possible with each offensive possession. It worked, as neither team mounted much of an offense for the remainder of the contest. The Rams scored only five points over the remaining time, and could muster just one basket over the final 3:30.

Leading the way for Oklahoma Christian was Woods with 26 points on 11 of 17 shooting. Merrill and Brandon Kephart each scored 13, and Nightengale and John Nottley scored ten apiece. Nottley also posted 11 rebounds for his first double-double of the season. Kephart dished out seven assists, and Merrill added nine boards for the Eagles who improve to 8-3 on the season.

For Texas Wesleyan, Marcus Johnson led with 18 points, Whitfield added 14 and David Johnson scored 13. Kenny Johnson scored seven points and led the team with eight rebounds, and David Johnson posted six boards and added two more blocks, increasing his already ridiculous season total to 56.

The non-conference loss drops the Rams record to 11-3 on the season. They remain 3-0 in Red River Conference play. The men return to the floor on Saturday at 6:00 PM to face Southern Nazarene University, another highly-ranked NAIA program. In earlier action on Friday, the Crimson Storm knocked off Friends University 82-75 in the opening game of the Sleep Inn Classic.

“Southern Nazarene is as talented as Oklahoma Christian,” said Waldrop, “maybe even a little better in some respects. We’ve definitely got our work cut out for us tomorrow.”