PLAINVIEW, Texas — College of the Ozarks carried a halftime lead but could not overcome a hot-shooting second half from Wayland Baptist, falling 91-81 Thursday night in SAC conference men’s basketball action.

The Bobcats led 43-41 at the break after an efficient offensive first half, but Wayland Baptist pulled away by outscoring College of the Ozarks 50-38 in the final 20 minutes. The Pioneers shot 56.1 percent from the field and used consistent drives and interior scoring to take control after halftime.

College of the Ozarks used balanced scoring to build its early advantage. Andrew Dalton and Garrett Snyder each scored 18 points, while DJ Quarles added 14. Quarles knocked down a 3-pointer with 3:35 left in the first half to give the Bobcats a 37-34 lead, and Snyder added a late layup to send College of the Ozarks into halftime up two.

Wayland Baptist responded quickly after the break. A Jamari Lawrence 3-pointer gave the Pioneers a 50-47 lead with 17:36 remaining, and they did not trail again. The Bobcats stayed within striking distance, cutting the deficit to 55-53 on a Dalton 3-pointer with 14:54 left, but each run was answered by Wayland Baptist.

College of the Ozarks remained efficient offensively, shooting 48.4 percent from the field and 46.2 percent from 3-point range (12 of 26). The Bobcats assisted on 24 of their 30 made field goals. Dalton hit four 3-pointers and added six assists, while Snyder recorded four assists and went 3-for-4 at the free-throw line. Quarles added three rebounds and four assists to go with his 14 points.

Wayland Baptist’s size and ball movement proved to be the difference. The Pioneers held a 35-23 rebounding advantage, including 11 offensive rebounds, and finished with 31 assists on 37 made field goals. Rico Yarbrough led all scorers with 27 points on 12-of-15 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds, while Jordan Logan added 16 points and eight rebounds. Logan’s layup with 57 seconds remaining pushed the lead to 89-79 and sealed the game.

Despite the loss, College of the Ozarks showed strong offensive execution, particularly with its ball movement and perimeter shooting. The Bobcats will look to build on that performance when they return to action Saturday at Oklahoma Panhandle State.