Facing a double-digit deficit in the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NAIA Men’s Basketball tournament, Langston showcased the heart of a champion when it mattered most, battling back to escape with a 56-55 win over the number-one seeded Oklahoma Wesleyan.
This is the second win for Langston against Oklahoma Wesleyan this season, having beaten them 73-70 on November 1.
The Lions’ offense struggled to get going to begin the contest, finding themselves trailing 10-0 through the first seven minutes after missing their first nine shots from the field.
They would not heat up anytime soon, shooting just 4-of-22 from the field in the first half, trailing by as many as 15 points.
However, they were able to build some momentum as the half came to a close, going on a 7-0 run to trim their deficit to 26-18 at the intermission
A brief run to start the second half that cut Oklahoma Wesleyan’s lead down to five points was halted quickly by a 7-0 run, bringing the score to 38-26 with 14:40 remaining.
A jumpshot by Langston forward Omar Henry that cut the team’s deficit to 40-30 preceded a four-minute scoreless stretch by both teams.
From there, Langston’s offense began to get going, hitting four straight three-pointers as part of an 18-7 run to take its first lead of the contest with 2:57 left.
Needing a push to get through the finish line, Langston looked to guard Orlando Thomas for some big buckets down the stretch.
Thomas scored 14 of his 20 points in the second half, including the go-ahead bucket that helped his team clinch the win.
After hitting two big free throws to break a 52-52 tie, Oklahoma Wesleyan seemed to have victory in hand, getting an offensive rebound off a miss, then cashing in on a three-pointer in the corner to take a 55-54 lead with 34 seconds to go.
On the ensuing possession, Thomas responded with a driving layup to take the lead back, surviving a defensive miscommunication on an Oklahoma Wesleyan three-point attempt to secure the win.
This is the second time Langston will advance to the Elite Eight in the NAIA tournament under head coach Chris Wright (advanced to the 2024 national championship game).
The Lions will have an opportunity to advance to the Final Four when they face the No. 2 seed, Rocky Mountain.
