NAIA Opening Round: Game Preview
#1 Oklahoma Wesleyan University vs. Fisher College
The top ranked Eagles, 30-2 overall record and Midlands Conferece Champions, are led by junior Steve Briggs (Duncanville, TX). Briggs has averaged 20.1 points per game in 32 games played. As a team, the OWU ranks #1 in total rebounding (47.3) and rebounding margin (16.0). This is there second straight trip to the National Tournament, they lost in the second round last year to Northwestern (Iowa) 86-85 in OT.
For the Falcons, this is their 4th trip in the last 5 years. They are led by sophomores Louis Williams (Burlington, VT) and Casey Pursell (Seattle, WA). Williams has been hot as of late. In the 19 games he has played this season, he has scored 349 points (18.4 ppg) and is shooting 42% from beyond the arc. Pursell is averaging 11.8 a game and is also a threat from the 3pt line, where he has made 49 during the year. This will be Fisher College's fourth trip to the National Tournament and will look to make a statement as they have lost in the opening round the previous three attempts.
Game time is set for 7:30 pm CST (8:30pm back in Boston, MA) and can be heard live by clicking here. Just click the link that says 'KWON - News/Talk' in the upper right hand corner. It will be the radio broadcast for Oklahoma Wesleyan University.
Recap:
Top Seed Oklahoma Wesleyan Rolls to Second Round
 |  Steve Briggs Hits Six Three-Pointers in the Eagle's Win |
March 12, 2009
Point Lookout, Mo. - Top seed Oklahoma Wesleyan, behind 68 second half points, defeated Fisher College (Mass.) 115-74 in the opening round of the 2009 NAIA D-II men's basketball national championship. The 18th-annual event is being held at the Keeter Gymnasium on the campus of the College of the Ozarks (Mo.).
Making just its second tournament appearance, Oklahoma Wesleyan threatened to blow the game open with a 15-3 run to start the game. The Eagles pushed the lead up to as much as 17 (31-14) before Fisher came back to outscore OKU 24-14 and cut the lead down to 45-38 just before the half. OWU guard Steve Briggs, the NAIA's top three-point shooter, hit five in the first half and netted 18 points.
Fisher kept it close in the early stages of the second half but Oklahoma Wesleyan blew the game open with a decisive 25-6 run that put the top-seeded Eagles up 91-56. OWU finished with 115 points, the highest point total at the national tournament since 2000.
Oklahoma Wesleyan shot 52% for the game and made a 2009 tournament-best 15 three-pointers. Levi Mooney came off the bench to score 26 points, 17 in the second half. Steve Briggs ended with 23 points, hitting 6-of-12 from the three-point line. Sadiel Rojas recorded the double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds. The Eagles won the battle of the boards, 57-34.
Fisher was led by Louis Williams who went for a game-high 27 points on 9-of-23 from the field. The Falcons shot 42% for the game and made 11-of-29 three-pointers for 38%. Fisher bows out with a 21-12 overall record.
Oklahoma Wesleyan, now 31-2, advances to the second round for the second straight year. They will play either #16 Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) or Grand View (Iowa) at 9:15 p.m. The 32-team, single elimination tour
nament concludes March 17, 2009.
