Coyotes cruise into next week’s KCAC Tournament
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

LEAVENWORTH – Kansas Wesleyan led early, before falling behind 4-3 with 18:01 left on a Jonathon George bucket. That was the only lead Saint Mary would have the rest of the night as the Coyotes would turn on their full court press forcing six turnovers in Saint Mary’s next seven possessions as the Coyotes blew the game wide open and cruised to the 84-63 win at the Ryan Sports Center.

Marcus Faubion, who scored 10 of Wesleyan’s first 13, including 10 in a row, hit a three that sparked the 16-0 Coyote run, and saw the Coyotes lead 19-4 with 14:57 left. Tremaine Dalton would find a crease in the Coyote defense to break the run.

Saint Mary would get as close as eight at 24-16 with 8:53 left in the first half on a laup by Winston Frazier, but another 10-2 run by the Coyotes would give Wesleyan a 34-18 lead with six minutes left in the half.

A steal and dunk by Faubion with 3:46 left would give the Coyotes their biggest lead in the first half of 19 at 42-23, and Wesleyan would take a 44-26 lead into the break.

Anthony Smith would open the second half the same way he opened the first with a three, as the Coyotes scored the first seven points to take a 25-point advantage with 17:29 left. The Spires didn’t score their first points of the half until the 16:11 mark, a three by Frazier.

Saint Mary never got closer than 20 the rest of the way, as another steal and layup by Smith gave Wesleyan its first 30-point lead with 5:04 left.

The Spires cut the Wesleyan lead to 20 late as the Coyote reserves played out the last three and a half minutes. Saint Mary’s C.J. Zimmerlink was called for two technical fouls for arguing a call with one second left in the game, but the Coyotes could only hit one of four free throws before coming away with the 84-63 win.

Faubion led all scorers with 31 as the Coyotes sizzled from the floor, going 33-of-53 for 62.3 percent. Wesleyan (24-3, 17-1) was also 7-of-13 from behind the arc for 53.8 percent. Smith added 16 for the Coyotes. Jeff Baron led the way on the glass with six boards as the Coyotes outrebounded the Spires 25-19.

Frazier led Saint Mary (3-24, 3-15) with 20, while Tremaine Dalton added 14. The Spires also  shot well from the floor, going 25-of-44 for 56.8 percent. The Spires were hampered by 21 turnovers that resulted in 29 Wesleyan points.

The Coyotes will be the no.1 seed in next week’s KCAC Post-Season Tournament. They will face the winner of Monday’s Play-In game between Ottawa and Bethany at Ottawa on Wednesday night at Muir Gym.

-- KWU SI --