Eagles Fight For Gutsy Win Over UHSP

WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. (12/14/24) – Amarion Wilson and EJ Johnson both finished with double-doubles as the Williams Baptist University men's basketball team took an 87-84 win over the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy inside the Southerland-Mabee Center on Saturday afternoon.

Johnson led WBU with 20 points on 7-for-8 shooting and 10 rebounds.  Wilson notched his first double-double as an Eagle with 14 points on 5-for-16 and 10 assists.  Cooper Rabjohn scored 13 points with four three-pointers and Charles Brown Jr. powered the Eagles late with 10 points on perfect shooting from the field.

As a team, the Eagles went 31-for-63 from the floor (49.2 percent) including a 14-for-28 mark from three-point range.  Williams turned 21 Eutectic turnovers into 25 points in the game.

WBU started the game on a 7-0 run, powered by a three-pointer and a layup from EJ Johnson.  Another three-point play from Johnson put the Eagles ahead 15-7 with 15:47 left in the first half.  

Williams took its largest lead of the day when a Jamichael Franklin layup capped off a 15-0 Eagle run that pushed the advantage to 18.  Despite the hot start, the Eagles went scoreless in the last five minutes of the first half and UHSP used a 16-point swing to tie the contest at 39 at halftime.

A Cooper Rabjohn triple gave Williams back the lead at the start of the second half.  A trey from Wilson and a layup from Rabjohn pushed the Eagle lead to six, but an Ahian Barnett three-pointer brought the Eutectics back within one.  

After UHSP took the lead late on a layup by Bryant Odynayo, Charles Brown Jr. stepped up to knock down a triple to take a one-point lead.  WBU forced a turnover and Rabjohn hit another three to give WBU a four-point lead.  

Brock Davis brought the game within two with a free throw.  The Eutectics looked to force a turnover on the other end, but Johnson fought his way to the bucket for the layup to put the game on ice.  Barnett hit a last-second three to set the final score of an 87-84 WBU win.

The win snaps a five-game skid for the Eagles.  WBU moves to 4-6 on the season and 1-3 in AMC play.  Next, Williams will face Southwest Baptist in an exhibition matchup.  Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. in Bolivar, Mo.