A strong first half was the difference in Saturday's KCAC matchup between #9 Oklahoma Wesleyan and Friends University. The Eagles blitzed to a big halftime lead and never looked back, ultimately winning 81-61 to move to 13-0 on the season.

Recap:

• OKWU shot better than 45% in the first half, scoring 47 points behind a strong performance from the bench. Valentin Van Putten scored 16 first-half points from his reserve role, while Kaleb Stokes came off the bench and added 11. Friends turned the ball over 7 times in the opening frame. OKWU led 47-31 at the half.
• OKWU's offense cooled a bit in the second, only making 1 shot from beyond the arc, but they still added 34 points to their total. Their lead ballooned to 23 at one point late in the second, although Friends did continue to battle. When the final buzzer sounded, OKWU earned an 81-61 victory in a game that they led wire to wire.

Now the Numbers:

• OKWU outrebounded the Falcons 43-26 during the game. This differential contributed to the 26 second chance points that the Eagles earned.
• OKWU scored 56 points in the paint, making up for a less-than-stellar shooting performance from beyond the arc.
• OKWU's bench continues to be vital, as the reserve group scored 46 points during the game.

Up Next:

• OKWU's scheduled trip to York was cancelled, so the Eagles are off for a few days before hosting McPherson on Saturday, December 11. The game is set to tip at 5 p.m.