OKLAHOMA CITY -- The No. 25-ranked Mid-America Christian University Evangels can expect to make a big jump in the NAIA Top 25 poll this week after easily dispatching the No. 8-ranked Oklahoma Baptist University Bison 92-75 for their sixth consecutive victory today (Jan. 24) inside the Gaulke Activity Center. The six-game win streak is the longest for the Evangels since joining the NAIA, besting the five-game streak set last season.
The win keeps the Evangels a full game and a half on top of the Sooner Athletic Conference standings at 7-1 with a 14-6 mark overall.
It's also head coach Willie Holley's 802nd career victory, moving him only two away from tying Eddie Sutton for 17th all-time.
The Evangels made the perimeter their home today, nailing 16 from beyond the arc to tie their team single-game record as an NAIA school set earlier this season (11/7/14).
MACU came out firing on all cylinders by hitting their first six three-point attempts, including two each from Jarius Wilson and Brock Hunter to take a commanding 26-8 lead at the 13:31 mark of the first half.
After the Bison trimmed the lead in half with a 17-8 spurt that made it 33-24, Semar Farris connected from three-point distance to cap a 7-3 run that stretched the lead back to 40-27 with 7:02 left in the half.
The lead was back to 17 when OBU scored eight straight to again crawl within nine before Chris Runnels scored inside as the first half wound down to give the Evangels a 52-41 lead at the break.
Much like the opening half, the Evangels came out strong in the second as threes from Farris and Hunter keyed a 10-2 push during the first two minutes of the half to make it 62-43.
The Evangels kept pulling away and a three by RichMarr Smith gave the Evangels their largest lead of the game of 71-49 at the 11:18 mark of the second half.
OBU though had one more push left in them and twice crept within 13 before a pair of dagger threes from Jerrick Massenburge helped build the edge back to a comfortable 88-70 margin with just 2:34 remaining.
Farris had a solid all-around game of 22 points and eight assists, while Hunter scored 21 after scoring a career-high 22 points in a victory over Texas Wesleyan University on Thursday night (Jan. 22). Wilson added 15 points and Massenburge chipped in with 14. Josh Smith pulled down a team-high seven boards for the Evangels (14-6, 7-1 SAC). Runnels put together a line of nine points, six rebounds, three assists, three steals and three blocks.
Ty Allen led the Bison (15-5, 4-4 SAC) with 17 points, followed by Bryon Miller with 16. Cale Jackson and Chandler Rickey each scored 13, with Rickey posting a game-high eight boards for OBU.
The Evangels will look to make it seven win in a row when they host USAO next Thursday night (Jan. 29) at 8 p.m.
