The final game of the first round featured the tournament’s first overtime game as #7 Oklahoma Wesleyan punched its ticket into the second round with an 82-81 victory over Sterling (Kan.) 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 (28-4) were led by a record-breaking performance by Sadiel Rojas. The senior finished the game with 42 points and 23 rebounds, tying the single game record at the national tournament. He also became the tournament’s all-time leader on the boards, totaling 141 and passing Chad Schuiteman (Northwestern) for first all-time. Rojas shot 13-of-21 from the field and 16-for-18 from the free-throw line. Murray Shaw and Levi Mooney each scored 11 points.
Sterling was looking for the second major upset of the tournament coming from the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference. McPherson (Kan.) stunned sixth-seeded Embry-Riddle earlier in the day to advance to the second round. Sterling moves to 0-4 in the first round and three of the losses have been by a combined five points.
Cody Brazelton and Zach Goodrich each had 19 points to lead the Warriors. Brazelton was 3-of-4 from three-point range and Goodrich hit 5 of his 6 attempts from behind the arc. Goodrich added a game-high five assists and Brazelton grabbed a team-high seven rebounds. Trenton Stutzman chipped in 11 points.
OWU maintained the lead for much of the first half and led 39-32 at halftime. The Warriors began to make their run early in the second half and took their first lead of the second stanza after a Stutzman three-pointer with 6:50 remaining in regulation. Sterling had a four-point advantage with just over a minute to play in regulation,
but Oklahoma Wesleyan cut into the lead and Rojas tied the game with 10.4 seconds left with a basket and free throw. A Goodrich jump-shot on the ensuing possession fell short.
Oklahoma Wesleyan shot 40 percent from the field, made 4 of its 21 three-pointers, and 22-of-32 from the free-throw line. Sterling (21-11) was 39 percent from the field, 14 for 30 from behind the perimeter, and 17 for 26 from the free-throw line. The Eagles had a 47-32 rebound advantage and a 48-16 points in the paint advantage.
Oklahoma Wesleyan advances to Friday’s second round and will play #10 Eastern Oregon. The 32-team, single elimination tournament concludes March 15, 2011.