OKLAHOMA CITY -- Reggie Davis scored 22 points to help give Mid-America Christian University head coach Willie Holley his 796th career victory as the Evangels defeated the Southwestern Assemblies of God University Lions 77-69 in the Sooner Athletic Conference opener for both teams tonight (Dec. 4) inside the Gaulke Activity Center. 

The Evangels led throughout and built a 12-2 lead at the 15:44 mark of the opening half. 

A three-pointer by Davis stretched the lead to 11 before the Lions crawled with 19-14 with a 10-4 spurt over the next three minutes. 

An 8-2 answer by the Evangels pushed the lead back to 35-21 and MACU carried a 39-28 lead into the break.  

The Evangels kept the Lions at bay in the second half, leading by as much as 13 until SAGU made things interesting with a 13-6 run that cut the lead to five at 60-55 with 6:04 left. 

It was still a five-point game when the Evangels (8-2, 1-0 SAC) used an 8-3 push to expand the lead back to double-figures at 72-62 with 2:19 remaining. 

SAGU (7-2, 0-1 SAC) wouldn't go quietly though and once more came within five but a free throw by Chris Runnels and two freebies from Davis over the final 28 seconds iced the win for the Evangels.  

Davis' 22 points came on 6-of-12 overall from the field, 3-of-5 from three-point distance and 7-of-8 at the charity stripe. Jerrick Massenburge had 17 points and seven rebounds, while Semar Farris narrowly missed a triple-double with 12 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.  Runnels also scored in double-figures with 11 points for the Evangels.  

Jonathan Walter paced the Lions with game-highs of 23 points and 11 boards.  

The Evangels limited the Lions to only 32.1 percent (25-of-78) from the field and their three-point defense was even better, as SAGU managed to hit only one of their 24 attempts from the perimeter (.042 percent).    

MACU will next tangle with No. 6-ranked St. Gregory's University Saturday afternoon (Dec. 6) at 5 p.m. in Shawnee, Okla.