Austin Gets 200th Win as an Eagle in Comeback Win Over Pioneers

PARAGOULD, Ark. (2/3/26) – Williams Baptist University men's basketball head coach won his 200th game at WBU after the Eagles rode a second half surge to a 106-94 win over Crowley's Ridge on Tuesday night inside Carter Activities Center.

Austin is the first head coach in Williams history to win 200 games.  He became the winningest head coach in WBU history during the 2022-23 season.  Austin is currently in his 15th season at the helm of Eagles basketball.

Deion Wesson led the Eagles with 33 points on the night on 9-of-19 shooting.  Jesse Washington followed up with 25, Aseem Luckey and Amaarion Wilson finished with 16, and Benjamin Noonan added 10 off the bench.  Noonan led the team in rebounds, finishing one short of a double-double with nine boards.

As a team, the Eagles shot 34-of-63 (54.0 percent) from the field and went 11-of-21 (52.4 percent) from three-point range.  CRC matched the offensive production, going 35-of-78 (44.9 percent) from the floor and 11-of-25 (44.0 percent) from downtown.  WBU went 27-for-37 from the free throw line to break away.  

WBU started the game on a 10-4 run in the first two and a half minutes to take an early lead, but CRC responded and took the lead on a three with 15:16 on the clock in the first half.  The Eagles kept hitting shots to make it a one-possession game, but CRC stayed out front for the rest of the period.  Benjamin Noonan cut the lead to one with a pair of free throws with 34 seconds remaining, but the Pioneers retained the 47-46 lead going into halftime.

Out of the locker room, WBU surged into a 56-49 lead with a 10-2 run capped off by a Washington triple.  CRC responded with an 8-2 swing of its own to cut the Eagle advantage to two with 12:38 remaining, but a Rico Quinton layup and Washington three put the Eagles back ahead by seven.

CRC cut the lead to five with five minutes remaining, but WBU held on for the road victory.  The Eagles shot 56.7 percent from the field and made 20 free throws in the second half to surge to the win.

The victory moves Williams to 17-3 overall and 7-2 in American Midwest Conference play.  Next, the Eagles will travel to St. Louis, Mo. to face UHSP on Saturday, Feb. 7.  Tipoff against the Eutectics is set for 4 p.m. from UHSP Gymnasium.