Shawnee, Okla. -- The No. 6-ranked St. Gregory's University Cavaliers took charge with a big run in the first half and hung on for a 79-75 win over the Mid-America Christian University Evangels in Sooner Athletic Conference action today (Dec. 6) at W.P. Wood Field House in Shawnee, Okla. 

The loss keeps MACU head coach Willie Holley four wins shy of 800 with 796 career victories.  

The Evangels trailed by as many as 16 in the opening half and were down 12 at the 6:12 mark of the second half when they rallied back to make things interesting. 

Reggie Davis hit a three to cap a 14-5 spurt that cut the deficit to 65-62 with 2:32 left. 

SGU held onto the lead but Semar Farris got the Evangels within two on three occasions, with the last being on a bucket with 14 seconds left that made it 77-75. 

But two free throws by Richard Shields on the other end with two seconds left put it away for the Cavaliers. 

The Cavaliers were able to hang on in large part due to the amound of hay they were able to make at the charity stripe down the stretch.  SGU was a perfect 14-of-14 at the foul line over the final 2:14.

MACU trailed 13-11 in the first half when the Cavaliers made their run to take command, outscoring the Evangels over a five minute span to stretch the lead to 28-12 at the 5:26 mark. 

Threes by Farris and Brock Hunter keyed a 9-0 spurt that got the Evangels back within seven and MACU went into the break down 32-24. 

Farris led the Evangels with 17 points and six assists, with Yuri Hager adding 12 points.  Jerrick Massenburge scored 10 and Davis pulled down a team-high seven rebounds.  

Shields scored 18 to lead five Cavaliers in double-figure scoring and Jaron Vierra recorded a double-double of 12 points and a game-high 10 boards. 

The Evangels will next return home and host College of the Ozarks next Thursday night (Dec. 11) at 7:30 p.m. inside the Gaulke Activity Center.