OKLAHOMA CITY -- Dubbed as the "NAIA D-I MBB Game of the Week" and featuring the top two teams from last season in the Sooner Athletic Conference, the Mid-America Christian University Evangels grinded out a 95-85 victory over the No. 17-ranked Wayland Baptist University Pioneers for their fourth straight win today (Jan. 9) inside the Gaulke Activity Center.
Following threes by Maurice Redmond and Robert Waters that shaved a nine-point lead down to three with 3:01 left, the Evangels ran off 10 straight points, capped by a running one-handed jumper by Jerrick Massenburge to finally shake the Pioneers and lead 91-79 at the 1:21 mark.
Nick Tate then put the finishing touches on the big win with a tomahawk dunk with 16 seconds remaining.
The Evangels led by 13 at the break and by as much as 16 on three occasions in the second half before the Pioneers used a 16-3 spurt over a four-minute span to come within 58-55 at the 13:11 mark.
As was the theme for the game though, the Evangels kept WBU at bay and never relinquished the lead for the duration of the second half.
Wayland's last lead was on a three-point play by Waters that made it 17-16 at the 13:35 point of the opening half.
That edge was quickly erased when Massenburge exploded for 11 straight points that put MACU in front 27-17.
Three times the Pioneers fought back within five, but five points from Bryon Miller helped the Evangels close on a 9-1 run for a 44-31 lead at the half.
Tate paced the Evangels (12-3, 2-1 SAC) with a game-high 25 points and also had eight rebounds. Massenburge finished with 21 points and Miller had 17 points with a team-high nine boards. Devonse Reed added 16 points for MACU and Malcolm Mann led the way with six assists.
Waters led the Pioneers (11-4, 3-1 SAC) with 23 points, followed by Redmond's 16 points and team-best nine rebounds.
The Evangels overcame a 52-42 deficiency on the glass by outscoring the Pioneers 40-32 in the paint while forcing 30 turnovers that led to a 30-12 edge in points off giveaways.
MACU will next conclude its three-game homestand by hosting Oklahoma City University on Thursday night (Jan. 14) at 8 p.m.
The Pioneers will return home next Thursday to host USAO, also at 8 p.m.
