Oklahoma City, Okla. -- The Mid-America Christian University Evangels trailed by only three with 9:09 remaining, but the NCAA D-II No. 24-ranked Arkansas Wonder Boys pulled away from there and coasted to an 87-64 win in an exhibition for the Evangels Saturday night (Nov. 19) at the Gaulke Activity Center. 

The Evangels hung around tight in the first half, as Charlie Shorter scored 13 points and had an answer each time the Wonder Boys threatened to take charge. 

MACU trailed 17-13 when Shorter scored two straight buckets to make it 19-17 and later scored four straight again to cut the lead to 28-27.    

Consecutive scores from Darius Gregory and Josh Smith tied the score at 32-32, but Arkansas Tech went on to a 38-34 lead at the break. 

The Evangels (3-0) fell behind by eight early in the second half as Johnie Davis and Marshawn Arnold sparked a 12-4 spurt to put the Wonder Boys up 50-42. 

Jarius Wilson then nailed consecutive jumpers and Shorter hit from beyond the arc to fuel a 10-5 surge that the cut the lead to three at 55-52 with 9:09 left.

But that's where the 24th ranked Wonder Boys took over as Davis scored 14 of their next 20 points to make it a comfortable 75-58 lead with just 4:02 left. 

Shorter led the Evangels with 21 points and also tallied five rebounds and three steals.  Camilo Valencia scored eight and dished out seven assists.  Gregory and George Haynes each had eight rebounds. 

Davis led four Wonder Boys in double-figures with 33 points and hit 7-of-12 from three-point distance, to go along with a game-high four thefts. 

The Wonder Boys enjoyed a 41-34 edge overall on the glass, with a 18-10 advantage in offensive boards. 

Next up for MACU is a cross-town showdown at home against the Oklahoma City Stars on Tuesday night (Nov. 22) at 8 p.m.