OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Mid-America Christian University Evangels received double-digit scoring from five different players that led to a 97-84 victory over the University of the Southwest (N.M.) Mustangs Tuesday evening (Nov. 12) inside the Gaulke Activity Center.
The Evangels are now 3-0 on the season and have scored 90 or more points in three straight games for the first time since joining the NAIA.
MACU broke open a tight game early in the second half as two threes by Jarius Wilson and five points from Angelo Lewis sparked a 12-2 spurt that made it 67-52 with 13:34 remaining.
The Mustangs (1-4) scored six straight points to creep back within single-digits, but a dunk by Josh Minner started a 6-2 run that stretched the lead back to 14 at 75-61 at the 9:06 mark.
The Evangels cruised from there, maintaining at least an 11 point edge the rest of the way.
The opening half was back and forth, as the Evangels twice led by 10 in the early going before Darius Revels converted a three-point play that started a 16-6 run to tie the score at 26-26.
It was 28-28 when the Evangels regained control with a 9-2 run that was capped with a three by Semar Farris with 7:00 left in the first half.
The Evangels remained on top the rest of the half and went on to a 51-46 lead at the break.
Farris led five Evangels in double-figures with a game-high 24 points on 10-of-14 from the field. Wilson scored 19, while Lewis flirted with a quadruple-double with 17 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and five steals. Minner scored 12 and Reggie Davis added 11.
Brandon McKnight led the Mustangs with 17 points and Andres Gomez scored 13. Clarence Rivas had 12 points and seven assists, while Revels chipped in with 11 points.
The Evangels out-rebounded the Mustangs by a slim 39-38 margin, with a 14-11 edge on the offensive glass.
The game marked the return of former MACU standout and Assistant Head Coach Charles Goar, who is now the head coach at USW.
The Evangels will look to stay unbeaten when they play at Bacone College on Thursday night (Nov. 14) at 7 p.m. in Muskogee, Okla. MACU routed Bacone 111-73 in the season opener here back on Nov. 5.
