OKLAHOMA CITY – OCU hung in for a 71-62 victory over Wayland Baptist (Texas) on Thursday at Abe Lemons Arena.
Johnny Stephene, a junior from Boynton Beach, Fla., boosted OCU with 16 points. The Stars moved to 8-1, 2-0 in Sooner Athletic Conference men’s basketball.
Four Stars put together double-digit scoring efforts. Nate Flowers, a senior from Waldorf, Md., recorded his sixth double-double this season with 15 points, 11 rebounds and two steals, while Dee Proby, a senior from Round Rock, Texas, contributed 15 points and four rebounds for OCU. Kaleb Smith, a freshman from Choctaw, Okla., came off the pine to supply 10 points.
Wayland Baptist whittled a 19-point OCU advantage down to seven points. Rodrigo Silva stuck a putback to slice Wayland’s deficit to 64-57 with 1:01 remaining.
The Stars answered with two Brandon Moton free throws at 39.6 seconds left, then Moton hit another free throw to give OCU a 67-57 lead at the 28-second mark. Between, Desmond Jones missed a 3-pointer for Wayland Baptist.
Silva had a lay-in with 19 seconds left, but Stephene responded with a breakaway bucket. Proby had a jam with eight seconds left to keep OCU in the lead.
OCU held Wayland Baptist to 29.2 percent shooting in the first half.
“We played great defense in the first half,” OCU coach Kevin Morrissey said. “We had a difficult time handling their big men in the second half.”
The Stars led from start to finish to respond after a 77-74 loss to Avila (Mo.) on Monday. Stephene’s 3-point play increased OCU’s lead to a game-high 19 at 47-28 with 14:36 left in the game.
“It stemmed from that loss,” Morrissey said. “As long as we rely on our shooting to win, it will be a long year. We have to defend and get in the passing lanes. We showed them on film how Avila did what they wanted.”
OCU scored the game’s first 11 points as Wayland Baptist missed its first seven shots from the field and committed five turnovers. Stephene’s transition lay-in put OCU up 24-8 with 9:14 left in the first. To that point, Wayland hit 3 of its first 14 shots from the floor.
“It was important to start the game that way,” Morrissey said.
The Stars face Lubbock Christian (Texas) at 3 p.m. Saturday at Abe Lemons Arena.
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