When shots weren't falling for the rest of the Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes, Easton Hunter was there to make up the difference. Hunter scored a career-high 34 points, but his outstanding effort wasn't enough as Oklahoma Wesleyan knocked off the Coyotes 78-68 on Saturday at Mabee Arena.
Hunter connected on 12 field goals (of KWU's 21) which included five 3-pointers, as he eclipsed his previous career best of 30 set against Avila on February 9, 2022.
KWU struggled to find the basket in the game, going just 21 of 66 for 31.8 percent for the game and 5 of 30 from behind the 3-point line, which included going 0 for 13 in the second half.
Despite the shooting woes, the Coyotes were never down by more than 14 points at any point in the game.
KWU led by eight out of the starting blocks, 14-6 with 12:39 to go in the first on three free throws by Carson Jones who was fouled on a 3-point attempt. The Eagles responded with a 7-0 run to get back within a point at 14-13, but the Coyotes held the lead until the 9:06 mark when OKWU took the lead on Jaden Lietzke's bucket at 17-16.
The Coyotes got the lead back on a bucket by Evens Appolon at 21-20 with 6:43 to go in the first, but KWU found itself down 39-27 thanks to a 19-6 run by the Eagles with 3:35 to go in the half.
KWU trailed 41-28 with 2:36 left, but ended the half on an 8-0 run to get within five at 41-36 at the intermission.
The Eagles pushed their lead back out to 10 at 48-38 on a 3-pointer by Nick Bene and extended it to 14 at 56-42 with 13:54 remaining.
Free throws by Stefan Spray got the Coyotes back within eight at 58-50 with 10:19 to go, but the Eagles kept the Coyotes at arm's length, taking a 65-51 lead with 7:25 left.
KWU made another push, getting the difference to seven on a 7-0 run but again the Eagles pressed back, pushing out to a 10 point lead several times.
Hunter was the lone Coyote in double figures. Appolon and Spray had eight each and Izaiah Hale added six. Spray had eight rebounds and Littlejohn had seven. Hunter added five steals to go along with his outstanding offensive effort.