Coyotes advance to semifinals with rout of Swedes
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

KWU senior guard Maurice Lane drives to the basket during the first half of KWU's 77-51 rout of Bethany

Kansas Wesleyan turned 31 Bethany turnovers into 26 points as the Coyotes routed the Swedes 77-51 on Wednesday night at Muir Gym. With the win, Wesleyan advances into the KCAC Semifinals on Saturday afternoon against Tabor College.

Tabor will come to Salina after knocking off no.5 seeded Sterling 79-73 in double overtime tonight in Hillsboro.

The Bluejays gave the Coyotes a run in the two teams’ last meeting on February 8, as the Coyotes held off Tabor 66-62.

Bethany led early, but could not get ahead by more than two points, the last time coming at the 15:48 mark on a deuce by Ryan Stoppel, giving the Swedes a 6-4 lead.

Then the Coyotes offense came alive, thanks in part to the defense. After Trey Sims tied things up at six all, Wesleyan forced turnovers in five of Bethany’s next seven possessions, going on a 9-0 run to take a seven point advantage, 13-6 with 12:35 left.

Stoppel would hit a three on Bethany’s next possession to break the run, and Anthony Javey would later get the Swedes back within three at 15-12 with 11:09 left with a triple, before the Coyotes would use a 7-2 run to take a 22-14 lead with 7:35 left on a three by Anthony Smith.

After a Ryan Lowry three, the Coyotes would explode, taking a 12-point advantage with 3:13 left on a bucket by Henry Rogers. Zach Sullivan would convert his own missed shot to get Bethany within nine with 1:51 left, but Jeff Baron would hit a big three just before the half to send the Coyotes to the locker room with a 35-23 lead.

The Coyotes would extend their lead to 24 with 12:08 left on a three by Sims as part of a 23-11 run, leading 58-34. The Coyotes would then score six unanswered points to take a 30-point lead with 10:09 left, 64-34.

Javey would hit a three and Kelby Brown hit a pair of free throws to get the Swedes within 25, and Bethany would extend its run to 11-2 on a pair of back-to-back three’s by Javey to get within 21 with 5:44 left. It was as close as the Swedes would come as the Coyotes roared back out to a 29-lead, 75-46, on a Robert Brown bucket.

The Coyotes would clear the bench early, as every Coyote played at least two and a half minutes, as Wesleyan kept the year-long sweep of the Swedes alive with the 77-51 win.

Sims would lead the Coyotes with 17 points, while Smith added 13 and Faubion and Baron each had 12. Faubion and Smith recorded double-doubles on the night as Smith led the Coyotes with 13 boards and Faubion had 10 as the Coyotes outrebounded Bethany 51-40. After struggling from the floor in the first half, only shooting 30.4 percent, the Coyotes rebounded nicely in the second half going 17-of-34 to finish the game 31-of-80 for 38.8 percent.

The Swedes finish their season with an 11-18 record and were led by Javey’s 14 points as the only Bethany player in double figures. The Swedes were 17-of-49 from the field for 34.7 percent. Wyatt led Bethany with eight rebounds while Marcus Wells added six.

The Coyotes will face Tabor on Saturday afternoon at 2:00 PM in the Post-Season Tournament semifinals. If the Coyotes beat the Bluejays, they will host the winner of the Southwestern at Friends game on Monday night at 7:00 PM inside Muir Gym.

-- KWU SI --