OKWU HOOPS: Eagles storm to 22nd win; Lady Eagles seize win
Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s Jaden Lietzke (5) goes to the basket as his face shield falls over his eyes during an earlier season game. The Eagles won their last two games of the regular season.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s Jaelin Glass (12) waits for free throws during an earlier season game. The Lady Eagles defeated McPherson College, 75-58.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Mike Tupa
February 25, 2025
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Make that 13 victories in a row for the comet-streaking Eagles from Oklahoma Wesleyan University.
The fiery Eagles (22-6) finished up the men’s basketball regular season by ripping Evangel (Mo.) University, 84-51, on Thursday, and mulching McPherson (Kan.) College, 87-73, on Saturday.
OKWU capped its Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference record at 19-3. Next up is the KCAC postseason tourney, followed by the NAIA regionals.
Donnie Bostwick coaches the Eagles.
OKWU 84, EVANGEL 51 — Jaden Lietzke extended his string of double-doubles to four-straight games by pouring in 22 points — his first 20-point game since November 2 — and pulling down 13 rebounds.
Lietzke buried 9-of-10 free throws and 4-of-5 free throws.
Isaac Stanek added 15 points, followed by Yashi McKenzie with 12 points, four assists and four boards. Derrick Talton Jr. contributed seven points, five rebounds, six assists, and four steals.
Nick Bene also spooned out six assists, to go with six points and five rebounds.
OKWU wiped away Evangel on the glass — 54 rebounds to 29.
Evangel made only 31 percent of its field goals against the miserly Eagle defense. Manique Alvarado’s nine points led Evangel.
OKWU 87, MCPHERSON 73: The Eagles finished off the regular season by averaging about 86 points in their final four games.
In this triumph, OKWU bolted to a 22-point halftime lead, 49-27.
By the final buzzer four Eagles had scored in double-figures — Stanek, 15; Talton, 14; Lietzke, 12; and Bene, 10.
Lietzke fingered nine rebounds, just missing out on his fifth-straight double-double. He also dished out a team-high five assists and made three steals.
Talton amassed four assists and one steal.
Dylan Phillip drained three three-pointers in five attempts.
For McPherson, Jamil Hardaway and Dallas Metzger each conjured up 11 points, including three treys apiece.
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Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s Derrick Talton (3) goes to the basket during an earlier season game. The Eagles won their last two final regular season games.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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WOMEN
The Lady Eagles (13-15, 10-12) ended the regular season with an exclamation point — at 75-58 drubbing of McPherson College
OKWU — which is coached by Heidi Messer — outscored McPherson in every quarter.
The balanced scoring sheet was led by Haley Meely and Zariah Tillman with 15 and 13 points, respectively.
Jaelin Glass piled on 11 points, followed by Rashaan Smith, nine; Gracie Alexander, eight; and Shade Richardson, seven.
Richardson also seized 11 rebounds and Meely recorded five assists.
Other key stats included Tillman with five rebounds and four steals and Smith with eight rebounds.
Tease Amarion amassed 15 points for McPherson.