Bartlesville, OK- 

No. 1 OKWU Eagles protected its home floor and advanced in the KCAC Tournament semifinals with a convincing 76–59 win over eighth-seeded Avila on Thursday night. The Eagles controlled the game from start to finish, using balanced scoring and a dominant rebounding effort to secure the postseason victory.  

OKWU built an early lead behind strong defensive pressure and efficient ball movement, taking a 36–24 advantage into halftime. The momentum continued after the break, as the Eagles pushed their lead to as many as 22 points in the second half. Bench production proved to be a key factor, with OKWU's reserves contributing 37 points compared to Avila's 22.  

Sophomore forward Temaje Izuagbe powered the Eagles with 22 points and 10 rebounds, recording a double-double while shooting 8-of-17 from the field. Yashi McKenzie added an explosive performance off the bench, scoring 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including three made threes. Ethan Williams and Angel Hidalgos supplied additional offensive boosts, finishing with 8 points apiece.  

Defensively, OKWU held Avila to just 35.5% shooting and limited the Eagles to 19% from three, while winning the rebounding battle 41–34. The home Eagles also capitalized on second-chance opportunities, scoring 22 second-chance points thanks to relentless effort on the glass.  

With the win, Oklahoma Wesleyan advances deeper into the KCAC Tournament, continuing its quest for a conference title and an NAIA national tournament berth.