OKWU basketball teams rough up Moundbuilders
Oklahoma Welseyan University women’s head coach Heidi Messer, left, cheers with Rashaan Smith (44) and Khassidy Warr (31) during the Lady Eagles 82-62 win over Southwestern on February 5, 2025 in Bartlesville.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
A Southwestern (Kan.) player is surrounded by Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s Nick Bene (7), Jaden Lietzke (35) and Humberto Kentish (35) during the Eagles 75-67 win on February 5, 2025 in Bartlesville.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Mike Tupa
February 6, 2025
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Southwestern (Kan.) College basketball players blew into Bartlesville Wednesday afternoon propelled by winning hopes.
A few hours later Southwestern contingent limped out of town feeling the sting of a losing reality against the Oklahoma Wesleyan University teams.
The programs clashed in Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference action.
In the women’s game, the OKWU Lady Eagles (11-12, 8-9) unleashed a 27-point barrage in the fourth quarter to overwhelm the Southwestern Moundbuilders, 82-62.
The nightcap at the Mueller Sports Center witnessed the OKWU Eagles (17-6, 14-3) muscle past Southwestern, 75-67, in the men’s game.
Next up, OKWU plays host Saturday to Sterling (Kan.) College, at 1 p.m. (women) and 3 p.m. (men).
Following are more details of Wednesday’s games.
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Oklahoma Wesleyan Univeristy’s Jaelin Glass (12) battles for a rebound during the Lady Eagles 82-62 win over Southwestern (Kan.) on February 5, 2025 in Bartlesville.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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WOMEN: OKWU 82, Southwestern 62
Talk about your balanced scoring!
Six different Lady Eagles scored in double figures — Rashaan Smith, 13; Shade Richardson, 11; and Sophia Regalado, Jaelin Glass, Gracie Alexander and Ashlyn Baker with 10 apiece.
Richardson, Regalado and Glass also each grabbed six rebounds.
Haley Meely came off the pine to contribute nine points and five boards; Tatiana Gilford scored seven with six rebounds.
Quality depth is vital to OKWU’s success — and a challenge in recent weeks, due to injuries.
But now the Lady Eagles are getting healthy and that depth is beginning to pay dividends such as Wednesday’s sparkling performance.
“I said to my players this is what I’ve been looking for, what I’ve been talking about,” Messer said, adding when several Lady Eagles are turning in productive minutes, “they don’t know how to handle us.”
Messer’s commitment to depth is not just coach speak — six different Lady Eagles played between 24-to-28 minutes and three others also garnered double-digit minutes.
“I wanted to be able to utilize our depth,” Messer said. “I hope that’s sinking in.”
In addition to their eclectic offensive production, the Lady Eagles also flexed their collective muscles on defense.
That’s the reason for another key stat: Southwestern’s Macey Pond scored 14 in the first half — but she only added four more in the final two quarters.
“I think that defensive spark eliminated their number of touches,” Messer said. “I could see our defense turn into offense as we went along. … I think in the second half we locked in defensively and that changed the tempo for us.”
In order to maximize their potential during the remainder of the season journey, the Lady Eagles will have to keep a high level of defensive intensity, trust in the deep depth, execute and get everybody involved, Messer said.
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Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s Dylan Phillip (23) drives through the Southwestern (Kan.) defense on February 5, 2025. The Eagles won, 75-67
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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MEN: OKWU 75, Southwestern 67
Someone would have to backstroke through a lava river to match the sizzling surge of the Eagles.
They racked up their eighth-straight win on their burning charge toward the end of their conference schedule and the postseason.
Issac Stanek dialed in 16 points to top the mostly evenly-distributed scoring by the Eagles.
Dylan Phillip sprang off the bench to add 14 points, followed by Derrick Talton Jr. with 11 and Jaden Lietzke with 10. Ethan Williams added two three-pointers.
The versatile Talton also secured a team-high seven rebounds, while Lietzke and Nick Bene each seized five caroms.
Justin Demaria hit five three-point bombs and scored 19 for Southwestern. Zach Hidalgo flirted with a double-double (eight points, 13 rebounds).
OKWU led by as many 19 in the second half but Southwestern made a little run to create a more respectable margin of defeat.
“It wasn’t an eight-point game,” OKWU head coach Donnie Bostwick said, adding his team is beginning to regain its health, also Jenson Knowles, who has played very well as of late, was unable to play.
Bostwick credited Stanek, Lietzke and Talton for heating up offensive at opportune times to keep the Eagles in control. He also praised Phillips’ combustible contribution in 19 minutes of action.
Although he didn’t put it expressively so, Bostwick seemed to look forward to Saturday’s upcoming home game against Sterling (Kan.) College as a chance to erase the memory of a tough loss earlier this season while Lietzke and Jaden Wilson sat due to injury.
Note: Wednesday’s game also was FCA Night. Bostwick said he thought the spiritual uplift in pregame sparked his team to a strong start.
The Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s men’s team prays during FCA night in the campus’ Mueller Sports Center. The Eagles defeated Southwestern (Kan.), 75-67.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports