Waxahachie, TX | January 8, 2026 — The No. 12 Nelson University Lions rang in the 2026 calendar year with authority Thursday night, knocking off John Brown University 81–66 inside the Sheaffer Center in Sooner Athletic Conference play.
From the opening tip, the Lions set the tone with defensive pressure and downhill pace. Nelson jumped out to a double-digit lead early in the first half, fueled by transition buckets, ball movement, and a balanced scoring attack. The home side carried a 40–27 advantage into the break after holding John Brown to just 25 percent shooting in the opening 20 minutes.
The night belonged to Micah Clark. With his first-half scoring surge, Clark officially eclipsed the 1,000-career-point milestone, a moment punctuated by a thunderous dunk and back-to-back triples that brought the Sheaffer Center crowd to its feet. Clark finished with a game-high 20 points on 8-of-16 shooting, leading the Lions with confidence.
Nelson continued to control the game in the second half, answering every John Brown push with timely execution. Trelin Green orchestrated the offense masterfully, posting a near double-double with 16 points and 10 assists while consistently turning defensive stops into fast-break opportunities. Jesse Iweze added a perfect shooting night from the floor and chipped in 10 points, while Latrel Davis, Brionne Williams, Dallas Smith and the Lions' bench delivered key minutes that stretched the lead to as many as 22.
Defensively, Nelson forced 23 turnovers and converted them into 25 points, keeping John Brown off rhythm all night. The Lions shot nearly 50 percent from the field, controlled the tempo, and closed the door late at the free-throw line to secure their first home win of the new year.
With the victory, Nelson improves to 12–2 overall and 7–1 in SAC play, continuing its strong conference run and opening 2026 with momentum
Next Up:
The Lions return to action on Saturday, January 10, hosting College of the Ozarks (Mo.) at 4:00 PM in the Sheaffer Center as SAC play rolls on.
Nelson University (formerly SA GU) is a private Christian university, established in 1927 by P.C. Nelson. The University is located 30 minutes south of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Waxahachie, Texas, and offers more than 70 associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees on campus or online. For more information, visit www.nelson.edu or by calling 1-888-YES-NELSON.
