After an offensive collapse on Saturday, Schreiner University was determined to finish on Sunday against visiting Howard Payne University in a nonconference matchup won by the host Mountaineers, 85-81.
It was a stark contrast from Saturday's loss to LeTourneau, where the Mountaineers had the visiting Yellow Jackets on the ropes, only to go cold in the final four minutes in a loss that snapped the Mountaineers' five-game winning streak. On Sunday, Schreiner used a 10-0 run in the first half to take the lead 26-18, capped by a Jackson Reid 3-pointer.
The surge was just enough to give the Mountaineers the lead for good.
"We finished it," Schreiner coach Marwan Elrakawaby said. "It took us a little while."
Schreiner sophomore Kamden Ross had another monstrous game with 22 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, four steals and three blocks. Ross has four double-doubles this season.
Schreiner University's Dylan Mackey attacks the lane for the Mountaineers on Sunday against Howard Payne University. |
Driving the Mountaineers on Sunday was exactly that — driving. By attacking the lane, the Mountaineers went to the free-throw line 34 times, converting 26 shots. The free-throw shooting helped overcome Howard Payne's torrid 3-point shooting. The Jackets were 13-of-35 from 3-point range, but the Mountaineers answered almost every time.
First-year player AJ Aungst came off the bench to score 10 second-half points, including a pair of 3-pointers. Aungst finished with a season-high 14 points. Overall, Schreiner was still dreadful from 3-point range — five-of-21 on the day. In its last two games, Schreiner is just nine-of-42 from 3-point range.
Schreiner's Jackson Reid had to play about a minute on Sunday with just one shoe. |
The game featured one of the strangest moments when Reid lost his left shoe in the first half and had to play for nearly a minute with a sock.
Now comes the hard part — the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference. The Mountaineers hit the road on Friday in Houston to play St. Thomas, the team picked to finish second in the SCAC. On Sunday, the Mountaineers travel to Shreveport, Louisiana, for a game against Centenary.
Schreiner women rout Howard Payne on the road
The Schreiner University women's basketball turned in one of its best performances of the young season with an 85-51 rout of Howard Payne on Sunday afternoon.
Led by reserver guard Nariyah Buggs, who scored a team-high 16 points, the Mountaineers jumped out to a 28-17 first-quarter lead and never looked back.
The Mountaineers' depth continued to shine, with 12 players scoring at least a point. Schreiner coach Stacy Stephens played 16 players.
Demauria Miles added 11 points, and Andrea Salazar scored 10. In what is typical for the Mountaineers, they forced Howard Payne into 24 turnovers.
Now 2-3, the Mountaineers face a tough task when they play host Mary Hardin-Baylor on Wednesday. The Crusaders are 2-0.
