2007 CONFERENCE CHAMPS!

Coyotes spoil McPherson’s senior night with 73-56 win
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

Before the season started the Kansas Wesleyan Men’s Basketball team picked a team theme of “Destination: Branson” for their schedule posters. Mission accomplished. After just leading by four at the half, the Coyotes used a 7-0 run to pull away and cruise to a 73-56 win over McPherson at the Sport Center.

The win seals the deal on KWU’s first KCAC Championship since the 2000 season, and guarantees a spot in the NAIA Division II National Championships, which begins March 7 in Branson, Missouri.

Wesleyan (23-3, 16-1) trailed early by four, 6-2 on a Cody Dickerson three. After a Coyote timeout, Trey Sims hit a layup with 16:29 left, to get back within two. Wesleyan then went to a full court press, forcing six consecutive turnovers by the Bulldogs, including four times when McPherson failed to get the ball past half court. The turnovers were part of a 14-2 run that gave Wesleyan an eight point advantage with 12:40 left on a three by Anthony Smith.

Back-to-back buckets by Dickerson got McPherson back within four at 16-12 with 11:41 left in the half, but the Coyotes answered with a 7-0 run to pull out to their biggest lead of the half at 23-12 with 10:10 left.

McPherson chiseled into the Coyote lead, getting within three at 30-27 with just under a minute left on a free throw by Matt Hoffman, before Cameron Jackson sent the Coyotes to the four point lead at the break on a free throw with 16 seconds left.

Mitch Arnett got McPherson within two with 18:51 left in the second half before the Coyotes used back-to-back triples by Sims sparked the Wesleyan run that put the game effectively out of reach.

Leading by four with 16:42 left, Marcus Faubion hit a pair of free throws and Smith hit a three to put the Coyotes up nine with 15:04 left. The Coyotes then equaled their largest lead of the night on a score by Tony Boone with 12:38 left.

Arnett hit a free throw to get the Bulldogs within 10, before the Coyotes exploded again, taking a 60-41 lead on a three by Smith with eight minutes left. Smith gave the Coyotes their biggest lead of 21 on a steal and layup with 2:25 left.

Smith led the way with 20 points while Sims added 12 and Boone had 10. The Coyotes shot 51 percent from the floor, going 25-of-49, including 10-of-17 from behind the arc for 58.8 percent. The Coyotes struggled at the line, somewhere the team has excelled at late this season, going 13-of-24 from the charity stripe for 54.2 percent. Faubion led the Coyotes with ten boards as KWU won the rebounding battle 35-28.

Cody Dickerson led the Bulldogs with 13 points, while Arnett added 12 and Scott Bradley added 10. McPherson was 20-of-46 from the floor for 43.6 percent. Arnett led the Bulldogs on the boards with seven, while Bradley added four.

The Coyotes wrap up the regular season on Saturday as they travel to Leavenworth to take on Saint Mary. The KCAC Post-Season Tournament begins on Wednesday, as the Coyotes will host the winner of Monday’s 8 vs. 9 Play-In Game.

-- KWU SI --