Strong Second Half Not Enough as Wolfpack Fall 90–97 in Home Opener Against Kuyper College

Bemidji, MN – The Oak Hills Christian College Wolfpack men's basketball team opened their home schedule with an exciting, hard-fought battle against the Kuyper College Cougars on Friday night. Despite a strong second-half performance, the Wolfpack came up just short in a 90–97 defeat. The season opener showcased Oak Hills' offensive firepower and determination, setting an encouraging tone for the games ahead as the team looks to build momentum early in the season.

The game was highlighted by an incredible 41-point performance from junior Tyrecke Francois (Pompano Beach, FL). Three other Wolfpack players also scored in double figures, including a double-double from junior Lanygel McCracken (Pensacola, FL).

The first half started slowly for Oak Hills, as the Cougars came out red-hot—shooting 5-for-5 from the field, including four three-pointers, in the opening three minutes of play. Kuyper capitalized on its hot start to jump out to a 14–2 lead just four minutes in.

The Cougars maintained a double-digit advantage for much of the first half, with their lead peaking at 20 points (28–48) around the five-minute mark. The final minutes before halftime were evenly matched, and the Wolfpack entered the break trailing 38–59.

Francois led all scorers in the first half with 15 points, while junior Nate Vinson (Maple Grove, MN) added 12. McCracken contributed on the boards with six rebounds—three of them offensive. The Cougars finished the half shooting nearly 65% from the field, while Oak Hills struggled from beyond the arc, converting just 3-of-20 three-point attempts.

The Wolfpack came out firing in the second half, scoring the first seven points in just over a minute. A steal from Vinson led to a fast-break assist to senior Keith Wilson (Pompano Beach, FL), who buried a transition three-pointer to cut the deficit to 45–59 with 19 minutes remaining.

A layup from McCracken with just under 13 minutes to play sparked a huge Wolfpack rally—15 unanswered points over the next four and a half minutes—to pull within single digits at 67–76. Francois scored 11 of those 15 points during the run.

The next several minutes featured back-and-forth action as both teams traded baskets, bringing the score to 76–87 with just over three minutes remaining. Oak Hills then mounted another surge, sparked again by Francois, who knocked down a three-pointer followed by a Vinson steal that led to a quick transition bucket from Wilson. The Wolfpack added five more unanswered points to close within one, 86–87.

Kuyper called a timeout with just over a minute remaining and managed to halt Oak Hills' momentum. In the closing moments, the Cougars sealed the win by sinking eight of their final ten points from the free-throw line, holding off the Wolfpack for a 97–90 victory.

Francois led all scorers with 41 points, adding three steals, two assists, and two rebounds in his Oak Hills debut. Vinson finished with 15 points, four assists, two steals, and two rebounds. Wilson contributed 13 points, five assists, three steals, and two offensive rebounds. McCracken rounded out the double-digit scorers with a double-double—11 points, 13 rebounds, three steals, and three assists.

Following the game, Coach Daved Lundeen praised his team's resilience:

"I'm extremely proud of how we responded in the second half after a very lackluster effort in the first. We learned a lot about ourselves tonight and how we have to play for 40 minutes. I am very excited for this group, and thankful for how hard they played."

The Wolfpack will travel to Madison, SD, for an exhibition matchup against the Dakota State University Trojans next Thursday, October 30.