Plainview, Texas -- Charlie Shorter scored a game-high 27 points to lead the Mid-America Christian University Evangels to their third consecutive victory with an 83-81 win at the Wayland Baptist University Pioneers in Sooner Athletic Conference action Saturday afternoon (Feb. 11) in Plainview, Texas.

The win is also the Evangels fourth victory in their last five games and moves them above the .500 mark for the season at 12-11.

The Evangels (12-11, 7-11 SAC) led for the final 7:26 but had to hang on in the final seconds.

It was 83-79 following a pair of free throws by Brandon Williams when Marquis Green scored with .7 seconds left to make it a two-point game.

Green then had a chance to send the game into overtime by stealing the inbounds pass, but his jumper bounced in and out as time expired.

The game was in a 67-67 gridlock when Charlie Shorter converted a three-point play that would give the Evangels a lead they wouldn't relinquish.

Williams then converted a four-point play that put MACU up by seven with 5:23 left.

After a three by TJ Jacobs and two freebies by Bobby Watkins brought the Pioneers to within three, Shorter answered with a trey that gave the Evangels a six-point cushion at the 2:33 mark.

The Pioneers refused to go quietly as two free throws by Robert Curtis cut the lead to four and then Watkins converted a turnover into a layup that made it 81-79 with 1:03 left.

MACU had to fight off a slow start as the Pioneers opened the game on a 9-1 run and led 12-3 on a three by Green at the 16:42 mark of the opening half.

The Evangels got back within one with an 11-3 run and then took their first lead of the game on a trey by Shorter that made it 19-18.

After Curtis hit consecutive jumpers that helped the Pioneers go back up by four, a three by Camilo Valencia fueled an 11-1 run that put the Evangels in front 32-26 at the 6:05 mark.

The Evangels continued to lead by six at 46-40 at the half.

Shorter's 27 points included 9-of-18 overall from the floor and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. Williams finished with 19 points and hit 4-of-6 from three-point distance. George Haynes recorded a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds, while Langster chipped in with 10 points. Valencia scored eight and dished out a game-high nine assists.

Jacobs scored 16 to lead the Pioneers (10-15, 4-13 SAC) and Jamie Eisinger added 10.

The Evangels were out-rebounded 41-31 overall and 15-10 on the offensive glass, but the second-chance points were even at 14-14.

MACU will next face a stern test as it will host No. 15-ranked John Brown on Thursday night (Feb. 16) at 8 p.m. inside the Gaulke Activity Center.