Coyotes rout Tabor to cruise into Monday’s Championship game
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

Tony Boone converts a steal into a dunk during the first half as the Coyotes blew out Tabor in the KCAC Tournament Semifinals

After playing its last 28 games at night, a 2 p.m. start to Saturday’s KCAC Tournament semifinal game against Tabor didn’t faze the Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes one bit. Thanks in part to a 20-2 run in the first half; the Coyotes cruised to a 78-53 win over the Bluejays at Muir Gym.

The Coyotes will face Friends on Monday night in the KCAC Tournament Championship at 7 p.m. at Muir Gym. Friends is the only team to defeat the Coyotes during the KCAC season this year, a 53-47 decision on December 9. Wesleyan routed the Falcons 71-51 in the teams’ last meeting on February 1, led by a 19 point, 13 rebound effort from senior guard Marcus Faubion.

Jeff Baron gave the Coyotes an early 2-0 lead with 19:46 left, before Greg Munroe evened things up at the 18:30 mark. Anthony Smith would knock down a three putting the Coyotes up 5-2, as Wesleyan would not give up the lead the rest of the night.

After Wesleyan jumped out to a five point lead, Mike Stoecker would get Tabor within one at 7-6 with 15:39 left in the first half. The Coyotes would pull back out to a five point lead three times before Kyle Kroeker’s three with 9:18 left got the Bluejays within two at 15-13.

Henry Rogers scored on a pass from Trey Sims sparking the decisive 20-2 run for the Coyotes. Wesleyan led 24-13 a minute and a half after Kroeker’s three, and would take a 20-point advantage, 35-15, with 5:13 left on a putback by Cameron Jackson. Andy Brubacher would break the Wesleyan run with 4:36 left with a bucket.

Wesleyan would again lead by 20 with three minutes left in the half, before the Bluejays scored the last six points before the intermission, including two Stoecker free throws with one tenth of a second left, giving Wesleyan a 14-point lead at the break.

Seven unanswered point after the half by the Coyotes would see Wesleyan pull out to a 21-point lead 46-25 with 18:45 left. Brubacher would get Tabor back within 16 with 17:55 left on a three, but the Bluejays could get no closer the rest of the way. Stoecker would get Tabor within 16 one last time at the 11:45 mark.

The Coyotes (26-3) would close things out with an 8-0 run after the Bluejays had gotten back within 18, taking a 76-50 lead with 2:31 left on a basket by Faubion. Wesleyan coach Tommy DeSalme would clear his bench with 2:19 left as the Coyotes cruised to the 78-53 win.

Smith would lead the way with 19 points, while Jeff Baron added 16 as the only two Coyotes in double figures. Wesleyan shot well from the field, going 35-of-69 for 50.7 percent, including 8-of-19 from three for 42.1 percent. The Coyotes did not shoot a free throw all afternoon.  Tony Boone led the Coyotes with seven rebounds, while Josh Berry added six Wesleyan dominated the boards 39-28.

Wesleyan again turned to its feverish defensive pressure, forcing 16 Tabor turnovers and turning them into 25 points.

Munroe led Tabor (12-18) with 23 points and 10 rebounds. The Bluejays’ leading scorer, Andy Brubacher was held to just five points, and Tyler Weinbrenner was held scoreless. Tabor was 22-of-51 from the floor for 43.1 percent. Mike Willis added five rebounds for the Bluejays.

The Coyotes will host Friends in Monday night’s KCAC Tournament Championship at 7 p.m.

-- KWU SI --