RAMS ARE GOING TO TITLE GAME!
March 20, 2006

KANSAS CITY, MO:  Tuesday night, The Texas Wesleyan University men’s basketball team will put it all on the line in the NAIA Division I National Championship game.  The Rams took yet another stunning victory on Monday, when they knocked off #8 Oklahoma Baptist University 83-72 at Memorial Auditorium.  They advance to tomorrow’s title game, which will be broadcast live nationally on CSTV (check you local listings, and call your cable provider about availability).

Tonight, the Rams took the floor in its first NAIA Fab Four in the 68-year history of the program.  In fact, it was the first time that any school from the Red River Athletic Conference had ever reached the semifinal.  Their opponent, #8 Oklahoma Baptist, had participated in seven Fab Four’s reaching the title game six times, more than any other institution in NAIA history.

The Bison attack featured the NAIA’s leading scorer, Frank Benson, who was averaging 23 points per game.  In addition, the Bison were shooting 52% from the floor, also tops in the NAIA.  Oklahoma Baptist held a narrow 5-3 lead in the all-time series between the two schools; however, they had not met since 1991.

Continuing their current trend, the Rams came out cold, trailing 9-0.  The Bison shot 64% from the field in the half and held the Rams to just 39% shooting.  Evan Patterson kept the Rams in the game with 12 points and four rebounds in the first period, and Texas Wesleyan trailed 42-35 at the break.

In the second half, the Rams stepped up their defensive pressure and Patterson reached a whole new gear.  Texas Wesleyan held the Bison to just 33% from the floor while hitting at a 52% clip at their end.  They also outscored OBU 20-9 from the free-throw line.

Early in the second half, the Rams trailed 49-42, when the Rams scored nine unanswered points to take a 51-49 lead.  The Bison regained the lead when Jason Bray hit a three to bring the score to 56-55 midway through the period.  Andrew Bradford responded with a conventional three-point play, and after a Bison miss, Patterson converted three more the old fashioned way.  Two more defensive stops led to consecutive treys from Ben Hunt and Khayri McKinney.  When the smoke cleared, the rams had scored 12 consecutive points to take a commanding 67-56 lead with just under seven minutes to play.

On three occasions, the Bison cut the lead to nine, but could get no closer.  Meanwhile Texas Wesleyan led by as many as 14 on their way to the 83-72 win.

Evan Patterson turned in another tremendous performance with a career-high 31 points and 12 rebounds.  Khayri McKinney scored 15, Ben Hunt 13, and Scott Reasoner finished with 10.

Oklahoma Baptist was led by Julius Hurd’s 20 points.  Frank Benson finished with just 16 points including only 7 in the second half, although he brought down 10 rebounds.

“That was pure guts,” said head coach Terry Waldrop.  “We came back against a very talented team.  I give all the credit to those guys in the locker room; they amaze me everyday.  The coaching staff challenged them at halftime, and they responded by playing terrific team defense.”

The Rams (24-9) who entered the 69th Annual Buffalo Funds NAIA Division I National Championship seeded 27th, advance to tomorrows National Championship game where they will meet #7 Oklahoma City who defeated #3 Robert Morris 94-92 on a last second shot in the day’s other semifinal.  That game will be broadcast live nationally on CSTV (check your local listings, and call your cable provider about availability).

Texas Wesleyan played OCU earlier this season, suffering an 89-81 loss in Oklahoma City last November.  Regarding the title game match up coach Waldrop said, “They are an amazingly talented team, but we are both very different teams.”