OKWU men snatch 10th win in a row; ladies lose close

From Santa Claus to Phi Slamma Claws.

That’s the metamorphosis of the Oklahoma Wesleyan University men’s basketball team, which came off the glow of the Christmas holidays to blow past Saint Mary (Kan.), 74-58, in its January opener.

OKWU (14-1) sailed to its 10th-straight win smoother than a greased sleigh with a tailwind.

Jaden Lietzke ripped the lid off the rim with 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field, followed by Dylan Phillip with 10 points, followed by Derrick Talton Jr. with eight points and seven assists and reserve Aaron Paulukaltis with eight points.

One stunning number stood out — OKWU hit only 2-of-19 from behind the three-point line.

Even so, the Eagles won by 16 points — their 10th double-digit victory of the season and ninth straight in Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference games. The Eagles improved to 9-0 in the KCAC.

While OKWU struggled mightily from three-point territory, Saint Mary couldn’t hardly deal with the Eagle shooters inside the arc. OKWU buried 32-of-49 on two-pointers.

Taylen Miller added seven points off the bench, while starters Kaleb Stokes and Austin Poling contributed seven and six points, respectively.

In addition to his scoring potency, Paulukaltis yanked down a team-high six boards.

Meanwhile, the Eagle defense limited Saint Mary to 43-percent shooting from the field and only 22 rebounds. Saint Mary also grabbed only one offensive rebound, compared to 11 for OKWU.

The Eagles — who are coached by Donnie Bostwick —were plus-seven on turnovers.

Next up, OKWU hits the road Saturday for Sterling (Kan.) College.

Following are the top eight teams in the KCAC standings through Jan. 4. (Note: Overall records are in parentheses.)

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KCAC men’s standings

9-0: OKWU: (14-1)

8-1: Kansas Wesleyan (14-1)

8-1: Southwestern (14-1)

5-4: Bethany (9-5)

5-4: Sterling (9-6)

5-4: Bethel (7-6)

5-4: York (7-8)

3-5: McPherson (8-5)

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LADY EAGLES FALL

OKWU ladies waged a terrific battle but came up short against the Saint Mary women, 74-65. The Lady Eagles (3-12, 2-7) suffered their sixth-straight loss.

But, they continued to battle close, losing by a single digit for the fourth time in their last six games and for the fifth time this season.

River Jeffries turned in a career night for OKWU — 27 points to go with four rebounds, two steals, two blocks and an assist. She knocked down 9-of-19 from the field, including 3-of-4 from behind the three-point line.

Zariah Tillman added 12 points, followed by Sylvia Skinner with seven and Sydnee Schovanec and Ty’Najah Mitchell with six apiece.

OKWU notched an offensive positive from the free throw line, ripping 17-of-21, led by Jeffries (6-of-6).

OKWU’s starting lineup also featured a familiar face for Bartlesville High fans in Mary Cone. Cone hit two free throws.

The Lady Eagles, who are guided by first-year head coach Heidi Messer, will look to crash back into the winning column when they travel Saturday to Sterling (Kan.) College.

Following are the top 12 teams in the KCAC women’s standings through Jan. 4. (Note: Overall records are in parentheses.)

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KCAC women’s standings

8-1: Sterling (11-4)

7-2: Bethany (9-5)

6-3: Friends (10-5)

6-3: Ottawa (10-5)

6-3: Tebor (8-6)

6-3: Kansas Wesleyan (8-7)

5-4: Saint Mary (9-6)

4-4: McPherson (7-5)

4-5: York (6-7)

2-7: Oklahoma Wesleyan (3-11)

2-7: Bethel (4-10)

2-7: Avila (2-13)

This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: Oklahoma Wesleyan men roll to 14th win on hardwood; ladies fall