OKLAHOMA WESLEYAN EAGLES PUNCH TICKET TO NAIA SWEET SIXTEEN; WIN TWO NATIONAL GAMES IN FRONT OF HOME CROWD
Oklahoma Wesleyan University players place their name on the NAIA sweet sixteen bracket Saturday night after winning the first and second rounds of the national tournament in Bartlesville.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports Report
Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s Jaden Wilson (4) gets tangled up with Montana Tech’s Camdyn LaRance (2) during Saturday’s game. OKWU won 67-46 and is headed to the sweet sixteen of the NAIA Men’s Basketball National Tournament later this week.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports Report
Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s Nathaniel Law (5) goes to the basket against Southern University at New Orleans players in the first round of the NAIA national tournament in Bartlesville over the weekend. The Eagles won 104-66 and are headed to the sweet sixteen of the NAIA Men’s Basketball National Tournament later this week.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports Report
By Becky Burch
March 16, 2026
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Outside, the mid-March air hung heavy in the 70s, but inside, the Mueller Sports Center turned into a pressure cooker as No. 1-seeded Oklahoma Wesleyan punched its ticket to the NAIA Sweet 16, dismantling both of its opponents in front of a near standing-room-only, home-cooked crowd.
Hosting the opening rounds of the national tournament for the first time, the Eagles (30-3) cruised past Southern University at New Orleans in a 104-66 blowout Friday before stifling Montana Tech 67-46 on Saturday.
OKWU now heads to Kansas City for the 88th NAIA Men’s Basketball National Tournament later this week.
“Our community came through in a big way,” said head coach Donnie Bostwick. “We had near capacity crowds and the support from the Bartlesville community was a boost to our boys.”
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Oklahoma Wesleyan University fans cheer on the Eagles during the NAIA national basketball tournament first and second rounds over the weekend in Bartlesville.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports Report
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In Friday’s game, SUNO floored some big players, including 7-foot junior Dorian Booker, who brought down three rebounds and scored eight points. Tynerion Jackson, 6’11”, also added some height.
“Something had to give,” said Bostwick. “Size versus speed and depth.”
And Bostwick’s bench definitely owns the speed and depth. SUNO couldn’t keep up with the constant rotation of fresh players and a full-court press.
“Their guards came into the game red hot hitting 50% of their three’s in the last five games, which opened up things for their bigs,” said Bostwick. “Our defense really played well.”
The Eagles struck fast and early, going into halftime up 44-24. In the second half, OKWU’s largest lead was 46 points with 9:34 left in the game. Bostwick later cleared the bench, letting his reserves get some national tournament action. OKWU’s bench scored 74 points, while the team snatched 56 total rebounds, including 19 on the offensive boards for 25 second-chance points.
Yashi McKenzie led all scorers with 17 points, followed by Angel Hidalgos with 15 points—five of which were treys. Nick Bene added 10 points with five assists. It’s also worth noting that KCAC Player of the Year Tamaje Izuagbe had an amazing seven rebounds and seven points.
Other Eagles scorers included: Humberto Kentish Jr. (10 pts, 2 steals); Jaden Wilson (9 pts, 3 rebounds, 2 assists); Amari Woods (8 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists); Marshall Gillette (7 pts, 2 assists); Isaac Stanek (5 pts); Cameron Mennsfield (4 pts); Nathaniel Law (3 pts); Ethan Williams (2 pts, 4 rebounds, 2 assists); Malachi Okunbor (2 pts, 2 rebounds); Braiden Dewey (2 pts); and Daniel Oluwasuyi (1 pt).
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Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s Tamaje Izuagbe (11) goes to the basket Saturday against Montana Tech. The Eagles won 67-46 and are headed to the NAIA Men’s Basketball National Tournament later this week.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports Report
A referee works the NAIA national tournament games at Oklahoma Wesleyan University over the weekend. This is the first time Bartlesville has hosted the first and second rounds of the national tournament.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports Report
Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s Jaden Wilson (4) steals the ball against Montana Tech last Saturday. The Eagles won 67-46 and are headed to the NAIA Men’s Basketball National Tournament later this week.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports Report
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OKWU 67, Montana Tech 46
It was a first-half defensive clash for both teams, with the Eagles finally scoring 10 points in the first eight minutes. Montana Tech briefly took an 11-10 lead at the 10:06 mark, but OKWU responded with a Humberto Kentish Jr. 3-pointer to jump-start the offense, heading into halftime up 29-13. The Eagles secured the 67-46 victory.
“Montana Tech is extremely long and challenges shots well at the rim,” said Bostwick. “We did an amazing job of keeping them out of the paint and forcing tough outside shots all night.”
Kentish Jr. led with 13 points—three of which were treys—and six rebounds. Tamaje Izuagbe and Nick Bene had seven points each, followed by Daniel Oluwasuyi with five points. Jaden Wilson had six rebounds, while Amari Woods had five.
The Eagles will take on Langston University on Friday in Kansas City.
“Our season is a miracle in so many ways,” said Bostwick, who lost three dominant players last year. “It is an incredible testimony to our players, their unwavering faith and love for God.”
Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s Humberto Kentish Jr. (35) chases a ball out of bounds during a NAIA national tournament host site in Bartlesville last weekend.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports Report
The Oklahoma Wesleyan University Eagles are going to the sweet sixteen of the NAIA Men’s Basketball National Tournament later this week.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports Report