The WTAMU men’s basketball team held its home opener on Nov. 19 against Wayland Baptist at the First United Bank Center.
WT put an end to WBU’s undefeated start to the season by winning 56-50.
Senior Joe Mincey got the scoring started for the Buffs at the 19:04 mark of the first half. Wayland then came back and took the lead 4-2. WT then went on a 9-0 run that saw them lead 11-4 with 14:27 remaining.
The Buffs expanded their lead near the end of the first half to 23-16. WT kept making shots to extend their lead to 36-27 at halftime.
WBU made things interesting in the second half, cutting the lead to 38-34 at the 13:52 mark. A 7-2 run by the Buffs helped keep them in the lead down the stretch as they held a 45-37 advantage with 7:38 remaining in the contest. WT withstood the onslaught from Wayland and eventually came away with a 56-50 victory over the Pioneers.
Senior Alex Davis had a career-high 21 points on the night to lead all WT players. Fellow senior LaDarius Hall chipped in 11 points in the game. WT shot 82 percent from the free throw line despite only shooting 37 percent from the field.
The Buffs will now take an extended break before returning to the hardwood Nov. 29 to take on Oklahoma Panhandle State. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. from Goodwell, Okla.
