POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. – Seventh-seeded Oklahoma Wesleyan advanced to its third straight national quarterfinals with a 78-63 victory over 10th -seeded Eastern Oregon at the 2011 NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball National Championship. The 2011 event is being held at the Keeter Gymnasium on the campus of College of the Ozarks (Mo.).
The Eagles (29-4) have won 10 of their last 11 games. OWU held one of the best three-point shooting teams in the country to 28 percent from behind the arc. Both teams struggled from three-point range as Oklahoma Wesleyan shot just 29 percent.
Sadiel Rojas scored a game-high 22 points to lead the Eagles. The senior was 10 of 19 from the field, and is currently the tournament leader in points and rebounds. Saturday, Rojas grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds. Dominique Rambo added 18 points and Murray Shaw scored 11.
Oklahoma Wesleyan jumped out to a 16-5 lead, its largest lead of the first half, after a Caleb Gentry three-pointer. The Mountaineers made a 12-4 run to cut the lead to 20-17 after a JC Cook three-pointer. OWU answered with a 7-2 run that opened the margin again. EOU would come as close as five points the rest of the first half. The Eagles led 34-27 at halftime.
Eastern once again kept the margin close and came within five points early in the second half, 41-36, with 15:38 left in the game. Oklahoma Wesleyan began to slowly pull away and stretched the lead to 61-46 with 6:40 remaining in regulation. The Eagles had their largest lead moments later by 20 points.
Oklahoma Wesleyan shot 54 percent from the field in the second half and 44 percent from the field in the game. Eastern finished 35 percent from the field. The Eagles were 15 of 24 from the free-throw line, and EOU was 6 for 17 from the free-throw line. OWU outrebounded Eastern Oregon, 37-35. The Mountaineers had 13 of their 21 turnovers in the first half.
The Mountaineers (26-7) were led by Cook’s 15 points. The senior ends his collegiate career shooting 6 of 12 from the field. Travares Peterson scored 12 points. Anthony Brown and Jamar Johnson each had six rebounds.
Oklahoma Wesleyan advances to Saturday's quarterfinals and will play second-seeded Northwood (Fla.). The 32-team, single elimination tournament concludes March 15, 2011.
Eastern Oregon ends its season tied for the most victories in a single season in the program’s 81-year history. The Mountaineers broke 17 school records this year.