RAMS ADVANCE TO ELITE EIGHT
March 17, 2006

KANSAS CITY, MO:  Entering today’s game, the Oklahoma Christian University men’s basketball team had taken seven consecutive victories over Texas Wesleyan including a pair of wins this season.  The Rams last win over the Eagles came in 1996, three years before the hiring of head coach Terry Waldrop, but none of that mattered today.  Texas Wesleyan finally broke through in the biggest match up the schools have ever had.  The Rams gave a gritty performance and came out with a 67-62 win.

Once again the Rams came out sluggish.  Oklahoma Christian held Texas Wesleyan to just 32% shooting in the first half.  Texas Wesleyan managed to get to the free throw line for only one shot in the half, a three-point play by Evan Patterson.  In spite of that poor shooting, neither team led by more than five.  Patterson kept the Rams’ hopes alive with 12 points and eight boards in the first half, and Texas Wesleyan trailed by just three, 36-33 at the break.

In the second half, Texas Wesleyan trailed 42-37, but a jumper from Ben Hunt and consecutive buckets from Nino Etienne put the Rams on top 43-42.  Later in the period, the Rams scored eight unanswered points, including back-to-back scores from Albert Talley and Muhammad Abdullah to take the largest lead of the game at 54-46.

Oklahoma Christian would not go quietly.  After a layup from Brady Page, Keith Harris hit a three, drew a foul, and converted the four-point play to tie the game at 57.  After Etienne hit one-of-two from the line, Kendrick Jackson scored to put the Eagles on top, 59-58 with under four minutes to play.

Two possessions later, Hunt drained a three to give the Rams a four-point margin.  Their lead held at three points, 65-62, with 14 seconds remaining when the Eagles sent Hunt to the line.  Hunt, who ranks second in the nation in free-throw shooting, nailed both shots to ice the game at 67-62.

Coach Waldrop was very proud of his team’s performance.  “Both teams played very physical games yesterday, and our conditioning really paid off today.  We punished them on the offensive glass, and our bench was outstanding.”

The Rams out rebounded the Eagles 48-39 including a 21-9 margin in offensive rebounding.  Texas Wesleyan also protected the ball, turning it over just five times, and the bench outscored OCU’s reserves 16-8.  All of that made up for an off shooting day (34%).

Ben Hunt led the way with 17 points, while Khayri McKinney finished with 12.  Evan Patterson and Nino Etienne both finished with double-doubles.  Patterson scored 14 points and brought down 12 rebounds while Etienne poured in 15, grabbed 10 boards and dished out five assists.