OKLAHOMA CITY -- Senior guard Reggie Davis scored a game-high 21 points as the Mid-America Christian University Evangels made sure head coach Willie Holley's final season-opener was a winner by defeating the Oklahoma Christian University Eagles 73-67 tonight (Oct. 30) inside the Gaulke Activity Center.  

The game was tied 35-35 at the break when Jerrick Massenburge opened the second half with a three that gave the Evangels a lead they wouldn't relinquish the rest of the way. 

With the score 42-41, the Evangels gained some breathing room when another three by Massenburge and a putback from Chris Runnels capped a 9-0 spurt that gave MACU its largest lead of the game at 51-41 with 14:56 remaining. 

After the Eagles crept within four at the 8:14 mark, a three by Semar Farris and a pair of free throws from Davis put the finishing touches on a 7-1 run that stretched the lead back to double-figures with 7:10 left. 

The Evangels built the lead as high as 11 on a three by Jarius Wilson that made it 67-56 and never let the edge dip below 7 until a three by Cameron Peters created the final six-point margin with 18 seconds left. 

The opening 20 minutes was tight throughout and featured five ties and seven lead changes, with the biggest lead either squad could muster being five points when a three by Runnels made it 10-5 in favor of the Evangels at the 15:19 mark. 

Davis' 21 points came on 5-of-9 overall from the field, 3-of-5 from three-point distance and 8-of-14 at the charity stripe.  A couple newcomers also contributed heavily, as Massenburge scored 16 and Runnels added eight points, four blocks and a game-high 10 rebounds in their MACU debuts.  Farris added 13 points for the Evangels. 

John Moon led the Eagles with 20 points on 8-of-9 from the field along with a team-high eight boards.  Eric Randall scored 16 and Jordan Box had 12. 

The Evangels will next be in action Saturday afternoon (Nov. 1) at 3 p.m. at the College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Mo.