In Saturday's Opening Round matchup at Hartman Arena, the OKWU men's basketball team defeated KCAC rival Kansas Wesleyan to punch their ticket to the NAIA Tournament Round of 16. The Eagles won 67-54 in a gritty performance.

Recap:

• Much of the first half was close, with OKWU holding a lead that hovered around 7 points. At the 4:24 mark, a Jaden Lietzke make improved the OKWU lead to 11. However, KWU's 8-0 run cut the lead to just 30-27 with 2 minutes to go.
• OKWU would score the final bucket of the half and go into halftime with a 32-27 lead.
• KWU came out strong in the second, cutting the lead to just 1 point after two quick buckets.
• However, the Eagles never gave up the lead. The game was tight for the next several minutes as the teams traded baskets. With 10 minutes left, OKWU led 45-41.
• An 8-2 run gave the Eagles a 53-43 lead as the clock hit the 7-minute mark.
• KWU cut the Eagle lead to 6 with 4:12 left, but the next possession saw Taylen Miller drill a 3-pointer to push the lead back to 9. KWU would hit two free throws the next time down the floor, but they would be held scoreless for the final 2:30 of the game.
• OKWU salted away the lead at the free throw line to come away with a 67-54 victory.

Now the Numbers:

• Rebounding was key for the Eagles. They outrebounded KWU 47-28.
• OKWU's defense held the Coyotes to just 35% shooting for the game.
• OKWU scored 40 points in the paint, which proved to be important as they struggled to hit outside shots. They shot just 19% from 3 on the evening.
• Brandon Bird led all scorers with 14 points. Lietzke had 11 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double, and the bench duo of Dylan Phillip (13) and Taylen Miller (11) proved key as the Eagles' reserves produced 30 points in the game.

Up Next:

• OKWU advances to the Round of 16 in Kansas City. They will face the 5-seed in the Liston Quadrant, LSU Shreveport (La.). The Pilots advanced after defeating Missouri Baptist and USAO in the Opening Round. On the season, LSU Shreveport is 25-7. They are riding a 10-game winning streak into the Round of 16. The game is set for 1 p.m. on Friday, March 18.