Smith’s 22 not enough as Coyotes drop game to Northwestern (Iowa)
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. – Anthony Smith scored 22 points for Kansas Wesleyan, but it wasn’t enough as the Northwestern (Iowa) Red Raiders knocked off the Coyotes 74-54 in the second round of the NAIA Division II National Tournament.

The loss snaps a 19-game winning streak for the Coyotes, the second longest in Wesleyan history. The Coyotes also finish the season with a school record 28 wins, three better than the 2000 Wesleyan team that finished the year 25-9 and captured the National Small College Athletic Association National Championship.

It took just over a minute for either team to find the basket, as Anthony Smith gave the Coyotes an early 2-0 lead with 18:48 left. Karl Towns would tie things up on a pass from Eric Kruger.

The Coyotes would hold onto the lead, but allowed the Red Raiders to tie things up several times, until Mark DeYounge would hit a three with 13:30 left giving Northwestern its first lead 9-8 following a Josh Berry bucket.

The Raiders would continue their offensive assault with a 13-2 run to take a nine point lead with 9:41 left on a three by Andrew Stimson. Stimson would be fouled on the play by Boone, but would miss the free throw.

Smith would hit a three for the Coyotes with 9:19 left, and Marcus Faubion would score at the 6:34 mark of the first half to get Wesleyan back within four at 19-15.

Ben Brown would then score four unanswered for Northwestern as they built another eight point lead with 5:41 left. Baron would hit a pair of free throws as the Coyotes chipped away at the Raider lead, eventually taking a 28-27 lead with 1:28 left on a free throw by Berry.

Towns would hit free throws with a minute left giving Northwestern the lead back at 29-28, before Anthony Smith would hit a three with 41 seconds left to give the Coyotes a 31-29 lead. Kale Wiertzma would then answer with a three to give the Raiders the 32-31 lead that would carry over to the halftime break.

Neither team could find the basket to start the second half as it took three minutes and 38 seconds for Northwestern to finally find the hole on a Wiertzma bucket. Trey Sims would tie things up with a three, and it appeared the game would be another close battle.

Cameron Jackson would score tying things up for the ninth time with 10:32 left at 43, before the wheels would fall off for the Wesleyan offense. Eric Kruger would hit one of two free throws as the Raiders would go on a decisive 27-4 run to take their biggest lead of the night at 70-47 with 2:30 left.

The Coyotes would get as close as 18 on a Marcus Faubion three with 1:22 left but the Raiders would pull out to a 22 point lead again with just under a minute left and come away with the 74-54 win.

The Coyotes struggled mightily in the second half finding the basket, going a frigid 8-of-41 from the floor for 19.5 percent after shooting 41.4 percent in the first half. Wesleyan would finish the game 20-of-70 from the floor for 28.6 percent. Smith’s 22 would lead all scorers, as he was the only Coyote in double figures. Baron would add nine, and Simes and Faubion would have seven each. Baron led the way with 10 rebounds, while Faubion would have eight.

Northwestern would have three players finish with double figure scoring, led by Wiertzma with 16, while Stimson had 13 and Chad Schuiteman had a double double with 11 points and 13 rebounds. The Raiders sizzled in the second half, going 12-of-18 from the floor for 67 percent, and finished the game 24-of-44 for 54.5 percent.

The Coyotes conclude their season with a 28-4 record, after capturing both the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Regular Season and Post-Season Tournament Championships. Also ending is the career of six Wesleyan seniors, Maurice Lane, Jackson, Smith, Berry, Baron and Unanimous KCAC Player of the Year Marcus Faubion.

-- KWU SI --