photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Baker junior guard Nick Whittick looks to pass in against Oklahoma Wesleyan in an NAIA round of 16 game at Municipal Arena in Kansas City, Mo., on Friday, March 21, 2025.

Kansas City, Mo. — No. 3 Baker men’s basketball lost 77-65 to No. 7 Oklahoma Wesleyan in the NAIA round of 16 at Municipal Arena on Friday, ending the Wildcats’ season.

Oklahoma Wesleyan will advance to the quarterfinal round of the NAIA tournament on Saturday against LSU-Alexandria at 7 p.m. For the Wildcats, their season finished with 30 wins and a Heart of America conference championship.

“Tonight was just not our night,” coach Sean Dooley said. “The things we’ve done to help us get here… it wasn’t going that way, even in the first half. In the second half, it got a little worse. But it wasn’t a lack of effort — our guys competed. They gave us everything they had tonight, like they always have.”

The Wildcats took an early lead in the first few minutes with 3s from junior forward Quentin Harvey and junior forward Noah Rigatuso, giving the Wildcats a five-point lead. Rigatuso added to the lead with an and-1 basket a minute later to extend the lead to eight.

Rigatuso finished with 21 points on 6-for-12 shooting from the field and 2-for-4 on 3-pointers. He added eight rebounds and five assists while also going 7-for-10 from the free-throw line.

“He showed tonight to everybody that was here who he is: He’s an all-American,” Dooley said. “He left it all out there for us. He’s given us everything for three years. To see his growth not just on the floor but also as a person is amazing.”

The Eagles marched back into the game with a 7-0 run, mainly in the paint. The Wildcats kept the Eagles at bay by hitting eight 3-pointers in the first half. Junior forward Ahmed Mahgoub and sophomore forward Ty Henry both hit two 3s in the first half.

Henry was second on the team with 14 points on 4-of-8 shooting from the field and 3-for-5 from distance.

Throughout the game, Baker thrived on 3s and midrange shots, while Oklahoma Wesleyan found success in the paint.

Baker stayed ahead for most of the first half and started to gain a substantial lead 14 minutes into the game. 3-pointers from junior guard Korey Jones and Mahgoub gave the Wildcats a double-digit lead, and Rigatuso added to it with two free throws 17 seconds after Mahgoub’s 3. Oklahoma Wesleyan cut Baker’s 13-point lead down to five points with under a minute left in the half.

At halftime, the Wildcats led 37-32, with Rigatuso leading the way with 10 points on 3-for-6 shooting from the field.

Baker’s offense started to stagnate in the second half as Oklahoma Wesleyan took the lead and gained control in the final minutes of the contest. A bucket from Oklahoma Wesleyan Nick Bene gave the Eagles their first lead of the game at 43-41. Baker junior forward Keynan Russell tied it back up on the next possession, but the Eagles regained the lead right away on Temaje Izuabe’s jump shot.

“In the second half, we tried to do some things (defensively) and they went inside on us,” Dooley said. “I thought our first-shot defense was good, but they got too many second-chance opportunities.”

The game stayed within four points for a few minutes before Oklahoma Wesleyan pulled away following a Baker timeout with under 10 minutes left. Baker continued to fight with 3s from Rigatuso and Henry, but the Eagles were able to build their lead to double-digits with Baker’s misses.

Baker cut the deficit to under 10 points with a jumper from Henry with a little over three minutes on the clock. Baker’s defense put pressure on the Eagles’ ball handlers, which resulted in turnovers. The Wildcats, however, couldn’t consistently knock down free throws, missing five in the final two-and-a-half minutes.

The Eagles, on the other hand, succeeded in hitting free throws and overcame a couple of turnovers. In the final minutes, the team’s defense on the Wildcats secured their win.

“They left it out on the floor,” Dooley said. “I told them, ‘Don’t hang your head.’ This is the best team to wear that Baker on their chest, and they know that.

“The character of this group is what’s special. That’s what has separated us — that’s what has allowed us to get to this point. We only have to focus on basketball because they take care of business in every other aspect.”

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Baker junior guard Korey Jones drives in the paint in an NAIA round of 16 matchup against Oklahoma Wesleyan at the Municipal Arena on Kansas City, Mo. on Friday, March 21, 2025.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Baker senior guard Mason Mecke runs toward the ball in an NAIA round of 16 game against Oklahoma Wesleyan on Friday, March 21, 2025, at Municipal Arena in Kansas City, Mo.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Baker sophomore guard Ty Henry maneuvers with the ball in an NAIA round of 16 game against Oklahoma Wesleyan on Friday, March 21, 2025, at Municipal Arena in Kansas City, Mo.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Baker junior forward Noah Rigatuso fends off a defender against Oklahoma Wesleyan in an NAIA round of 16 game at Municipal Arena in Kansas City, Mo., on Friday, March 21, 2025.