Friends snaps Wesleyan’s three-game win streak
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

Friends University shot 73.9 percent in the first half, but was only 3-of-14 in the second half as the Falcons knocked off Kansas Wesleyan 64-56 on Saturday night in Muir Gym, snapping Wesleyan’s three game win streak.

Wesleyan jumped out to a 4-0 lead on buckets from Trey Sims and Romero Hood, but Friends would fight back, getting within one on a free throw by Donte Rogers at 4-3 with 17:53 left.

After a Sims three would give Wesleyan a 7-3 lead, Friends would go on a 10-0 run to take a 13-7 lead, capped by a Rogers bucket with 15:17 to go.

The Coyotes would get back into it, tying things up at the 10:16 mark at 18-all on a three from Mychal Henderson, but Friends would power back out to an eight point lead on a three from Tyler Thompson, making it 26-18 with 7:24 to go in the half.

Henderson would cap a 5-0 Wesleyan run to get the Coyotes back within three at 26-23 with 6:21 left, but Friends would answer back as Mike Hyde would score followed by a steal from Thompson that led to a Justin Rone dunk as the Falcons would close the half on a 16-4 run to take a 42-27 lead into the half.

The second half would begin would a double technical being issued between Drew Kangiesser and Henderson for getting into a brief confrontation at the break.

Friends would push its lead to as many at 18, the last time at the 16:11 mark on a bucket from Matt Garvey, when the Coyotes would work their way back into it. An 11-1 run would get the Coyotes back within eight when Hood would score off a Tony Boone steal and pass, making it 48-40.

Rone would hit a pair of free throws with 5:29 left giving Friends its last double-digit lead at 56-46 before the Coyotes would make one final charge.

Wesleyan (7-9, 5-2) would switch to a full court press and force Friends into bad decisions, as the Coyotes would get within four, the last time on a pair of Sims free throws with 1:32 left.

Forced to foul the Coyotes would send Friends (10-7, 6-2) to the foul line four times in the final two minutes, with the Falcons making all eight foul shots to get the eight point win 64-56.

Sims led all scorers with 22 points, while Hood added 14 for Wesleyan as they shot 21-of-63 from the field for 33.3 percent. Boone, Hood and Henderson all had six rebounds for the Coyotes as Friends nudged Wesleyan on the boards 34-33.

Rone had 21 to lead Friends, while Kangiesser had 14 as the Falcons shot 54.1 percent for the game on 20-of-27 shooting, but were just 3-of-14 in the second half after shooting 73.9 percent in the first. Rogers led the Falcons with seven rebounds.

Wesleyan kicks off a busy week next week with three games beginning at McPherson on Monday in a make-up of the December 8 contest. The Coyotes then head to Tabor on Thursday before returning home to begin a four-game home stand a week from tonight against Ottawa.

-- KWU SI --