OKWU hoops: Lady Eagles rally, Eagles come up just short
Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s Jaden Lietzke (5) returned to the court on Jan. 8 after suffering an injury before the Christmas break. Lietzke had 14 points in the their 65-61 loss to St Mary on Jan. 8, 2025 in Bartlesville.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s Rashaan Smith (44) scored 27 points in their 73-59 win over St. Mary on Jan. 8, 2025 in Bartlesville.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Mike Tupa
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Even the return to action Wednesday (Jan. 8) of lionhearted battler Jaden Lietzke could rescue the Oklahoma Wesleyan University men’s basketball team from defeat in their 2025 opener.
The University of Saint Mary (Kan.) wrested out a 10-point lead at halftime, 38-28, and held on to defeat the Eagles, 65-61, at the Mueller Sports Center.
However, OKWU fans didn’t go away without a win on the night in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference twinbill.
Earlier in the evening the Lady Eagles swooped past the Saint Mary women, 73-59, to post back-to-back wins in conference play for the first time this season.
Next up, the OKWU teams board the bus on Saturday (Jan. 11) for Wichita (Kan.) to face their Friends University counterparts. The women play at 3 p.m. followed by the men.
Donnie Bostwick is in his 12th season coaching the Eagles. Heidi Messer is starting her third year as the women’s head coach.
Following are more details about Wednesday’s games.
Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s Yashi McKenzie (0) scored 15 points in the Eagles’ 65-61 loss to St Mary on Jan. 8, 2025 in Bartlesville.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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MEN: Saint Mary 65, OKWU 61
After suffering an upper body injury early in December, Lietzke had sat out four games during which OKWU (9-5, 6-2) played break-even ball (2-2) and squeezed out a four-point win.
But the Eagles collided with a red hot Saint Mary team — which improved to 12-3 and 9-0 by beating the Eagles.
Lietzke played limited minutes (26) but contributed 14 points — including 6-of-7 shooting from the field — along with nine rebounds and two assists.
Yashi McKenzie dialed in 15 points to top the Eagle scoring list, followed by D.J. Talton Jr. with 14 points, six rebounds and six assists.
Jordan Brown erupted for 26 points to fuel the Saint Mary attack, followed by Kaeden Bonner with 14, including a pair of three-pointers.
OKWU tied the game, 61-61, with 1:50 remaining on Lietzke’s free throw.
But Saint Mary finished the game on a 4-0 run — all on free throws.
Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s Haley Meely (10) tries to get past a St. Mary’s defender in the Lady Eagles 73-59 win on Jan. 8, 2025 in Bartlesville.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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WOMEN: OKWU 73, Saint Mary 59
Playing for the first time in 21 days, the Lady Eagles (6-8, 3-5) continued their recovery from a 1-6 record to start the season.
They are 5-2 in their last seven games.
OKWU dominated the fourth quarter, 29-12, to muscle out the win. Saint Mary (7-9, 6-4) had led 47-44 going into the final stanza.
Rashaan Smith came off the pine to bury 27 points (and grab seven rebounds) to lead OKWU. Another bench player, Jaelin Glass, added 10 points.
Scoring eight points apiece for the Lady Eagles were Zariah Tillman, Shade Richardson and Gracie Alexander.
Demi Aarnold dumped in 16 points for Saint Mary.
OKWU took its first lead of the fourth quarter, 55-53, with 5:42 left on a bucket by Smith.
Glass’ jumper with 2:57 left stretched OKWU’s lead to 63-58.
The Lady Eagles went up by nine, 67-58, on Tillman’s deuce in the paint with 1:51 left.
Alexander nailed two free throws with 35 ticks left to close out the scoring.