When the University of North Texas at Dallas basketball teams hosted Wayland Baptist Thursday (Jan. 13) evening in the Singing Hills Recreation Center, one of the biggest stories was not who was there -- but who wasn't.

The powerful Wayland Baptist women improved their Sooner Athletic Conference record to 9-1 as they breezed past the Trailblazers, 91-77. Later, the Pioneers men defeated UNTD, 66-52, to improve their league record to 4-6.

In both 14-point defeats, the host teams were playing without key players. Men's coach Josh Howard, back at work after a recent Covid bout, was minus veterans Curtis Coleman, Steven Kimberling, and Donovan Deal as they battled academic issues.

Earlier, as Rodney Belcher's women warmed up, reliable ball-handler/scorer Brooke Lopez was absent. She had informed the coach that her heavy course load and wish to keep her 3.8 grade average, had forced her to a decision to leave the team. Already missing was scoring leader Shandrea Yeldell because of compliance issues, leaving the suddenly struggling Trailblazers without a true point guard.

Such are the tribulations of a newborn athletic program.

Belcher says that after talking with Lopez, he's not convinced her decision is final. "We're still talking," he said after Thursday's game.

One thing he is certain of however. Wayland Baptist, now 17-2 on the year, is, in his view, is the premier team in the SAC. "There's no one in the conference that should beat them," he said.

Down by eight points after the first quarter, it was an 11-point output in the second period by UNTD that sealed its fate.  Down 53-31 at the half, only a 24-point final quarter against a substituting Wayland Baptist made it as close as it was.

Leading the Trailblazers scoring was Zyunn Cormier with 24, followed by newcomer Delyssa Miller's 15, and Mykayla Dumas' 12. Fiver Wayland Baptist players scored in double figures.

For the season, the Trailblazer women are 9-8 and 3-7 (including last week's forfeit by Central Christian)in the SAC standings. 

The UNTD men never led, only tying the game twice at 5-5 and 9-9 in the early going. Quickly, the Pioneers jumped out to double figures and remained there most of the night before the visitors began substituting freely.

With a shooting percentage of only 31.6 percent, only Vernon Johnson, with 12 points, scored in double figures for the Trailblazers. He and Christian Plummer each were credited with seven 
 rebounds.

It will be back to Singing Hills Saturday (Jan. 15) for a doubleheader with Oklahoma Panhandle. The women's tip-off is set for 2 p.m. with the men's game beginning at 4 p.m.