Georgia Gwinnett keeps rolling, Oregon Tech wins at the horn, and Indiana Wesleyan has a new home worth celebrating. Friday gave us ranked wins, tight finishes and another reminder of how much there is to enjoy around NAIA basketball.
🔥 Georgia Gwinnett keeps building
No. 18 Georgia Gwinnett 94, St. Thomas 65
Five games. Five wins.
Georgia Gwinnett took its strong start on the road Friday, beating St. Thomas by 29 at the Dalton Classic. The Grizzlies shot 52.1 percent, won the rebounding battle 43–33 and had four players reach double figures.
Josh Ray led the way with 18 points off the bench. Devontre Chaney added 16 points and nine rebounds, Jahiem Berry scored 15, and Patrick Johnson finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
A 15–4 first-half run helped GGC create separation. The Grizzlies led 43–28 at halftime and scored another 51 after the break. Now 5–0, they’ve topped 90 points in four of those five games.
🦅 Oklahoma Wesleyan belongs in the conversation
Oklahoma Wesleyan has been another early-season team to watch. The Eagles, tied for No. 11 in the preseason poll, opened with four straight double-digit wins, including an 83–52 victory over Our Lady of the Lake and an 89–64 win over No. 8 Langston.
Beating a Top 10 opponent by 25 will get your attention. Oklahoma Wesleyan’s opening results have given us plenty of reason to keep watching as the schedule moves deeper into November.
🚨 Oregon Tech wins at the buzzer
Oregon Tech 89, No. 17 The Master’s 87
A tip-in at the buzzer. A ranked opponent. A two-point win.
Oregon Tech supplied the finish of the night, getting the last touch it needed to beat The Master’s in Klamath Falls. You have to finish the possession, and the Owls finished the one that mattered most. Official result
🏆 Top 25 scoreboard
Verified November 6 finals. This is a partial scoreboard, using the October 21 NAIA preseason poll.
- No. 6 Nelson (Texas) 98, Our Lady of the Lake 92
- No. 15 Eastern Oregon 79, Dickinson State 61
- No. 16 College of Idaho 85, Providence 61
- Oregon Tech 89, No. 17 The Master’s 87
- No. 18 Georgia Gwinnett 94, St. Thomas 65
- No. 19 Concordia (Neb.) 113, Maharishi International 63
- Southern Oregon 79, No. 20 Hope International 69
👀 Other games worth a look
Carroll 95, Northwest 92: Carroll stayed unbeaten, improving to 4–0 with a three-point win in Caldwell. Another close result, another win for the Saints.
Dakota State 85, Mount Marty 82: Dakota State protected its unbeaten start, moving to 2–0 with a three-point victory in Bellevue.
California Prestige 77, Bismarck State 75: Bismarck State’s game in New Town was decided by just two points.
Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) 101, Southeastern 86: The Eagles reached triple digits and improved to 4–1, following their October 31 win over Oregon Tech with another strong result.
🏟️ I AM THIRD Arena
I was honored to be in attendance at Indiana Wesleyan’s I AM THIRD Arena and see one of, if not the premier facilities in the NAIA.
According to the university, the $30 million, 80,000-square-foot arena seats more than 2,000 spectators. It includes five hospitality suites, a full-sized practice court, strength and conditioning facilities, and student-athlete recovery spaces.
There is a lot to appreciate about the building, but the name matters, too: God first, others second, self third. That philosophy is now part of the identity of Indiana Wesleyan’s new basketball home.
Congratulations to Indiana Wesleyan on a tremendous facility. I was honored to see it in person.
NAIA hoops. Good At Basketball.
