It took every bit of the 40 minutes of regulation for the Eagles to get the victory in Friday night's matchup with MidAmerica Nazarene. The talented Pioneers were on fire in the first half, and it seemed like their offense might be too strong. However, a spirited second-half comeback and staunch defense gave the Eagles just enough to earn the victory at home, 75-72.

Recap:

• The Pioneers shot nearly 64% from the field in the 1^st half and scored 47 first-half points against the fierce OKWU defense. A balanced scoring sheet saw 7 Pioneer players contributing to the offensive explosion.
• For the Eagles, strong shooting from beyond the arc allowed them to keep things close early. They made 6 first-half three-pointers and shot 42.9% behind the line.
• As the first-half buzzer sounded, MNU guard Trey Brown banked in a floater from inside the paint to give MNU a 47-36 lead.
• The tables turned in the 2^nd half, as the Eagles' offense finally roared to life, led by reserve guard Taylen Miller and his 15 second-half points. The Eagles shot 57.1% from the field after the halftime break.
• OKWU also ratcheted up the defensive pressure, forcing MNU to just 42.1% from the field and making it a difficult proposition to score. The Pioneers produced only 25 points in the 2^nd half.
• Even so, it wasn't until the 1:28 mark of the second half that the Eagles managed to tie things up on a Jaden Lietzke free throw. The Eagles would give up the lead on the next possession, when Trey Brown sank two free throws for MNU.
• The Eagles took the lead with 52 seconds left when Austin Poling drilled a 3-point attempt after receiving the feed from Taylen Miller.
• OKWU would not relinquish the lead again, and the final nail in the coffin came when Taylen Miller went 2-2 from the free throw line with 12 seconds left in the game to give OKWU a 75-72 lead. The MNU shot at the buzzer was no good and the Eagles got out with a hard-fought victory.

Now the Numbers:

• OKWU's bench scored 39 points in the game, led by Taylen Miller (17) and Lense Ramey (10). MNU's bench contributed just 15 points on the night.
• Freshman guard Derrick Talton Jr. played his best game of the young season, scoring 12 points and adding 3 steals.
• The Eagles shot 38.1% from beyond the arc.
• For MNU, Anthony Brown scored 18 points in 38 minutes of action, while Trey Brown added 14.

Up Next:

• The Eagles are back at home today for a matchup with Missouri Valley College. The game is set to tip at 5 p.m.