Oklahoma wesleyan Eagles find winning recipe against Baker; advance to Elite 8
The Oklahoma Wesleyan University Eagles defeated Baker, 77-65 on Friday to advance to Saturday’s NAIA Elite Eight in Kansas City, Mo.
PHOTO PROVIDED
Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s Jaden Lietzke (5) blocks out during an earlier season game in Bartlesville. The Eagles defeated Baker, 77-65 on Friday to advance to Saturday’s NAIA Elite Eight in Kansas City, Mo.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Mike Tupa
March 22, 2025
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
There is no travel planner that details the length or the twisting turns, dips and straightaways on the highway to destiny.
Each mile is built by trial and error, hardship and opportunity, frustration and learning, regression or triumph.
For the Oklahoma Wesleyan University men’s basketball team, their unfolding destiny in the 2025 NAIA national tournament took a huge push forward in Friday’s 77-65 Sweet 16 win against Baker (Kan.) University.
The teams battled at the NAIA finals’ site Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.
Following a rugged start — that saw Baker burst out to an 11-point lead partway through the first half — the OKWU Eagles surged back like a cyclone of determination.
They dominated the second half, 45-28, as a discombobulated Baker team couldn’t keep up.
The victory propelled OKWU into Saturday’s Elite Eight — one step away from what would be the Eagles’ first Final Four appearance since 2010.
Standing in the way is Saturday’s opponent Louisiana State University-Alexandria — the No. 1 seed from the quadrant (region). OKWU is seeded No. 7. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at Kansas City.
Eagle head coach Donnie Bostwick — who guided OKWU to the Final Four in 2010 and to a national championship in 2009 — and the other Eagles will once again rely heavily on seniors Jaden Lietzke, Derrick Talton Jr. and Dylan Phillip to lead the construction of the team’s destiny.
Lietzke assembled a double-double (18 points, 12 rebounds) to set the pace for Friday’s win against Baker.
Talton added 12 points and six assists, followed by Nick Bene with 10 points, eight rebounds and two assists.
Ethan Williams quietly contributed several difference-making plays in the second half.
With the score tied, 45-45, Williams pulled down two offensive rebounds on the same possession, drew a foul and stuck in a free throw to put OKWU on top, 46-45, with less than 15 minutes left.
The Eagles never trailed again.
About seven minutes later, Williams assisted Talton on a three-pointer that stretched the Eagles’ lead to two possessions, 58-52.
Moments later, Williams stole the ball back, leading to a layup by Talton and an eight-point lead, 60-52.
Williams also dropped in a layup at the 2:28 mark to pad OKWU’s advantage, 68-59.
In the final 95 seconds, OKWU nailed 7-of-9 free throws, two of them by Yashi McKenzie, to sew up the victory.
Jaden Wilson also came up big in key plays and added eight points, followed by Isaac Stanek with seven and Temaje Izuagbe with six.
Saturday’s matchup appears to be the first-ever between OKWU and LSU-Alexandria, at least in postseason play.