The #1 seeded Eagles proved their strength in Friday's NAIA Opening Round matchup as they overpowered the Firebirds of Saint Katherine (Calif.) to storm to a 71-54 lead. The balanced Eagles got contributions from all over the roster, but Jaden Lietzke was the standout performer of the night.

Recap:

• The first half was a back-and-forth affair early, as the Eagles and Firebirds traded punches for the game's first 10 minutes. OKWU pulled ahead by as many as 14 in the period and would go into halftime with a 41-30 lead.
• The lead hovered around 12 for the beginning of the second half. A Saint Katherine 3-pointer at the 9:46 mark made it an 8-point OKWU lead.
• Lietzke would score the next 11 points for the Eagles as he asserted himself into the game as the second half wore on. A Brandon Bird jumper gave OKWU a 65-52 lead with just under 4 minutes to play.
• The Eagles would close the game on a 6-2 run, with Kaleb Stokes scoring 4 of those 6.

Now the Numbers:

• OKWU's defense held Saint Katherine to just 29% shooting on the night. On the other end of the floor, the Eagles shot 52%.
• The Eagles emphasized getting to the rim, scoring 53 points in the paint.
• The OKWU bench gave some much needed contributions, scoring 31 points compared to just 7 for Saint Katherine's reserves.
• Lietzke scored 24 points on 10-12 shooting. He added 9 rebounds as well.
• Kaleb Stokes was the only other double-digit scorer for the Eagles. He added 10 off the bench.

Up Next:

• The Eagles face a familiar foe in the second round. They will battle fellow KCAC member Kansas Wesleyan for a trip to the Round of 16. The game is set for 6 p.m. this evening. OKWU bested the Coyotes in the two regular season matchups between the teams.