OKLAHOMA WELSEYAN UNIVERSITY MEN HOSTS KCAC QUARTERFINALS ON THURSDAY
Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s Ethan Williams (1) moves the ball during an earlier season game. The Eagles host Avila University (Mo.) in the KCAC Tournament Quarterfinals at 7 p.m.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Mike Tupa
Feb. 24, 2024
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
An angry hive of bees.
Lava flows down the center of campus.
A ground-opening seismic jolt.
A devouring tornado or hungry hurricane.
A growling invasion of grizzlies.
Short of these fun times, there’s just not much else that has slowed the leading edge of Oklahoma Wesleyan University men’s basketball during the rip-roaring Donnie Bostwick era.
Nearing the completion of his 13th season as the Mastermind of Mueller, earlier this week, Bostwick’s soaring Eagles added another Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference title to their coach’s pyramid of achievements.
Should the script continue to unfold as it seems it might, the Eagles (25-3, 20-2) could be playing next month for the NAIA national championship for the second time in two seasons — and for the third time in the past 12 seasons during Bostwick’s tenure.
Their current run has been amazing.
Since Thanksgiving, the Eagles have romped to a 19-2 record, including 16-2 in conference.
Last Wednesday, they zapped Evangel (Mo.), 75-69, to clinch the KCAC regular season title — and, fittingly, they did it on Senior Night at the Mueller Sports Center.
Not surprisingly, the scoring sheet was dominated by balanced scoring — Tamaje Izuagbe, 18; Jaden Wilson and Yashi McKenzie, 13 each; Humberto Kentish Jr., nine; and Nick Bene, eight.
Ethan Williams added a big stat line — six rebounds, five assists, and a steal. Bene added five boards and two assists.
Amari Woods came off the pine to add two three-pointers.
Evangel gave its best shot, battling OKWU to a 37-37 halftime tie.
Last Saturday, the Eagles downed McPherson College (MO) on the road 88-83.
On Thursday, they host Avila University (Mo.) in the KCAC Tournament Quarterfinals at 7 p.m.
As mentioned, the Eagles are returning national runner-ups.
In March 2025, they surged through the first three rounds of the Final 16 by averaging more than 85 points per game. They defeated two other No. 1 seeds (Louisiana State University Alexandria, 98-87, and Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.), 84-78) prior to falling to The College of the Idaho, 93-65, in the final.
OKWU is focused on closing that gap and elevating the Eagles to the top of the mountain for the second time during the Golden Era of Bostwick.