OTTAWA, Kan. – Ottawa University stayed within striking distance through the opening 20 minutes, but Avila University used a strong second half to pull away and defeat the Braves 86–70 Tuesday evening at Wilson Field House.
First Half
Avila opened the game with an early run, but Ottawa responded behind the scoring of
Landyn Tyler to keep things tight. The Braves chipped away throughout the half and briefly tied the game at 21–21 following a Tyler bucket midway through the period. Avila answered with a late push, but Ottawa closed the half on a 10–3 run, capped by an
Adam Barbieri three-pointer in the final seconds, to trail just 37–34 at the break.
Second Half
The Eagles quickly regained momentum to start the second half, stretching the lead to double figures behind efficient shooting and points off turnovers. Ottawa continued to battle, with Tyler and
Kuol Reech leading the offense, but Avila's consistency in the paint and from the perimeter proved too much. The Eagles built their largest lead of the game at 20 points midway through the half and maintained control the rest of the way to secure the road win.
Game Notes & Stats
- Landyn Tyler led Ottawa with 23 points, shooting 9-of-12 from the field and 4-of-5 from three-point range
- Kuol Reech added 9 points and 5 rebounds off the bench
- Micah Willis chipped in 9 points, including a pair of three-pointers
- Ottawa shot 43.1% from the field and 38.1% from three
- Avila finished at 49.3% shooting and knocked down 9 three-pointers
- The Eagles held a 37–35 rebounding edge
- Avila scored 40 points in the paint and 14 points off turnovers
- Ottawa forced 7 turnovers and scored 27 bench points
Who is Next
Ottawa (10-13, 6-11) returns to the court on Saturday, February 7 in Wilson Field House against Friends University. Game time is set for 3:00 p.m.
