OKWU Hoops: Eagles and Lady Eagles broom Avila into the dustbin of defeat
Oklahoma Wesleyan University Lady Eagles bench cheers during an earlier season game. The Lady Eagles defeated Avila (Mo.) in overtime, 61-58 on January 29, 2025.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
Oklahoma Wesleyan Christian University’s Daniel Oluwasuyi (8) and Amari Woods (2) block out during an earlier season game. The Eagles defeated Avila (Mo.), 84-70 on January 29, 2025.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Mike Tupa
January 31, 2025
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Following are summaries of Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s most recent basketball action.
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MEN: OKWU 84, Avila (Mo.) 70
Yashi McKenzie zeroed in from the free throw line and for the third-straight game Amari Woods scored double-digit points off the bench to help power Oklahoma Wesleyan University to an 84-70 victory Wednesday against Avila (Mo.).
McKenzie tickled the cords on 9-of-11 free throw shooting and finished with 20 points to top all Eagle scorers in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference battle.
Woods dialed in 10 points to lead the 35 points produced by the bench.
Rounding out OKWU’s top scorers were Nick Bene, 11; Jaden Lietzke with nine; and reserve Jensen Knowles with eight.
OKWU (15-6, 12-3) hit nearly 80 percent of its free throws to help extend the team’s win streak to six straight.
George Williams hit four three-pointers and scored 21 points to top Avila, followed by Xavier Kahube with a double-double (14 points, 10 rebounds).
But Avila’s bench came through with just 16 points.
The Eagles — coached by Donnie Bostwick — took control in the first half, 40-30, and withstood a 23-13 run by Avila in the first nine minutes of the second half.
OKWU began to pull away again when McKenzie drained a three-pointer with 9:46 left, 62-55.
McKenzie scored all 20 of his points in the second half energizing OKWU to victory.
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Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s Humberto Kentish (35) goes up for a shot during an earlier season game. The Eagles defeated Avila, 84-70 on January 29, 2025.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s Shade Richardson (1) tries to control the ball during earlier season action. The Lady Eagles defeated Avila (Mo.) in overtime, 61-58 on January 29, 2025.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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WOMEN: OKWU 61, Avila (Mo.) 58 (ot)
OKWU (10-11, 7-8) broke a two-game losing streak with a gritty desire that followed a roller-coaster pattern.
The teams combined for only 18 points in the first quarter — and then scored 36 in the second quarter. OKWU led going into the fourth quarter, 39-38 and then withstood an Avila rally. The teams were tied at the end of regulation, 52-52.
OKWU — which is coached by Heidi Messer — won the overtime period, 9-6.
Zariah Tillman came off the bench to score a team-high 20 points, followed by Shade Richardson with 12 points (along with four assists and seven rebounds).
Tatiana Gilford, Gracie Alexander and Tillman each recorded three steals.
Madilyn Melton and Marlie Wright netted 13 and 12 points, respectively, for Avila.
Melton added 16 rebounds and Wright handed out eight assists.