Coyotes face off with Swedes and Moundbuilders this week
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

Kansas Wesleyan continues its four game homestand this week, hosting rival Bethany on Thursday night, and Southwestern College on Saturday.

Both contests are pivotal for both men and women. Two wins could potentially move the Coyote women into fourth place in the KCAC. A pair of wins from the men, could help to break the massive logjam at the top of the KCAC standings, where five teams currently share a league best 7-3 record.

WOMEN’S PREVIEW

THE WEEK IN REVIEW
Kansas Wesleyan’s women’s basketball program has been playing extremely well in its last few games. Winners of three of their last four, KWU seems to have found its stride in KCAC play.

The Coyotes played three contests last week, going 2-1, with wins over McPherson and Ottawa, and dropping a one-point decision on the road at Tabor.

Wesleyan opened the week facing a tough McPherson squad that was leading the KCAC in scoring offense in all games played at 72.5 points per game, and was third best in the league in KCAC games only averaging 67.4 per game.

The Coyotes rallied from an eight-point first half deficit to lead by as many as nine with 12 minutes left in the game, but had to hold off a furious rally from the Bulldogs. McPherson would regain the lead with 2:18 left, but a 9-0 Wesleyan run to end the game gave the Coyotes their only road win in ten tries so far this season.

Wesleyan then headed to Hillsboro to take on Tabor College. Tabor had a 13-point advantage with 15:09 left in the second half, but 12 straight from the Coyotes would cut the lead to just one with just over ten minutes left in the game.

Four missed free throws by Tabor in the final 15 seconds gave Wesleyan a chance to pull out the win, but Khristy Santee’s shot from the top of the key at the buzzer hit back iron, giving Tabor the 55-54 win.

KWU routed Ottawa 75-42 in its final game of the week. After jumping out to a 12-0 lead, the Coyotes never looked back, using a 26-9 run over the last 13 minutes of the game to coast to the 33-point win.

ABOUT THE COYOTES THIS SEASON

KWU continues to throw out its balanced scoring attack every night. Overall, six players are averaging better than seven points per game, led by Emily Luckeroth who is averaging 12.1 per contest. In KCAC play, four players are better than 10.5 per game, led by Tierra Baldwin at 11.9, while two others, Luckeroth and Kaylaen Dittmer are averaging 11.7 and 11.5, respectively. Baldwin is the top shooter for the Coyotes, hitting on 45.9 percent of her shots so far this season overall, and is at 49 percent in KCAC play.

Baldwin also leads a balanced Wesleyan rebounding corps that sees five players grabbing at least three rebounds per game in all games. Her 6.6 rebounds overall is eighth best in the KCAC, while her 9.5 boards per game in conference games only is tops in the league. Three other KWU players are averaging four rebounds per game or better in league play.

As a team, the Coyotes are shooting 38.5 percent from the field, and 30.4 percent from long range. Wesleyan is also solid at the free throw line, hitting 72.2 percent of its charity shots. The Coyotes are allowing their opponents to shoot 41.5 percent from the field and 32.5 percent from long range. The opponents have struggled at the line shooting just 66.4 percent from the foul stripe. KWU’s opponents continue to edge the Coyotes in rebounding, but the margin has been cut significantly the last few games. Wesleyan pulls down 36.0 rebounds per game, while giving up just 36.8.

- HOME SWEET HOME – KWU is 3-1 inside Muir Gym in KCAC play this season, but just 1-5 on the road in conference play. The Coyotes are 3-2 overall at home, where they are shooting 45 percent from the field and pulling down 38 rebounds per game.

- 2008 IS GREAT – so far for the Coyotes. Wesleyan is 5-4 overall since the calendars switched over. The mark includes going 4-3 in KCAC play after the New Year.

- HIGHS AND LOWS – Wesleyan set two new season highs in the 75-42 rout of Ottawa on January 26. The 75 points is the most scored by the Coyotes this season, and is only the third time all year that the Coyotes have broken the 70-point barrier (2-1). KWU’s 27 field goals is also a new season high, eclipsing the 26 FGM total in the Coyotes’ 71-72 double overtime loss to Southwestern on December 6, 2007. The 42 points allowed against Ottawa is a season low for points allowed. The previous low was 50 points against Central Baptist (Ark.) on January 4. It’s also the lowest point total allowed by KWU since January 18, 2007, when Saint Mary scored only 42 points in a 58-42 KWU win.

THIS WEEK’S OPPONENTS

BETHANY COLLEGE SWEDES (11-9, 5-5)
Bethany enters Thursday night’s game with an 11-9 overall record, and 5-5 in KCAC play. Bethany’s 11 wins to date is six better than all of last season, when the Swedes went just 5-24 overall.

Overall the Swedes are led in scoring by Roni Whitman and Cathy Wade, who are each averaging 11.2 points per game, while Jade Pihl pitches in 9.3 per contest. Shalice Tommerup leads Bethany at 6.3 rebounds per game, while Aiofe Sands grabs 4.9 per game.

In KCAC play, Wade leads the way with 12.9 points per game, followed by Whitman at 12.5 and Pihl at 8.9. Tommerup grabs 6.2 rebounds per game, while Nancy Castro adds 4.4 through ten KCAC games for the Swedes.

As a team, Bethany is shooting 41.9 percent overall, including 34.7 percent from three point range. The Swedes are also connecting on 68.3 percent of its foul shots. The Swedes are scoring 66.6 points per game, while allowing 63.8. Bethany is giving up 39.5 rebounds per game, while pulling down just 36.0 per game as a team. The Swedes are blocking 4.7 shots per game overall.

In KCAC play, Bethany is shooting 40.5 percent from the field, while allowing its opponents to shoot just 36.4 percent. The Swedes are shooting 34.1 percent from three point range, and connecting on 70.4 percent of foul shots. Bethany scores 68.6 points per game in KCAC play, while giving up 68.4, but is allowing its opponents to grab 41.7 rebounds per game, while only getting 33.5.

THE LAST MEETING – December 1 – Bethany 77, KWU 67 in Lindsborg – Despite 20 points from Emily Luckeroth and 13 from Tierra Baldwin, and a dominating 54-36 rebounding advantage by the Coyotes, Bethany shot 49.2 percent from the field, including 52.4 percent in the second half to get by the Coyotes 77-67 at Hahn Gym.

Wesleyan shot just 28.6 percent for the game (20-of-70) and were a paltry 2-for-21 from long range (9.52 percent) in the loss.

Bethany was led by Wade with 16 off the bench, while Whitman pitched in 15 for the Swedes.

SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE MOUNDBUILDERS (15-5, 8-2)
Southwestern enters the week in second place in the KCAC standings, one game behind Sterling. The Moundbuilders are at home to face Ottawa on Thursday, before heading to Salina to face the Coyotes on Saturday.

Kara Beal leads Southwestern in scoring through all games at 15.3 per game, while Jenna Wilson pitches in 11.4 as well. Wilson leads the way with 8.1 rebounds per game, while Tylar Hartfield pulls down 6.5 rebounds per game.

In conference play, the Moundbuilders again turn to Beal to lead the charge, averaging 14.6 points, while Wilson pours in 11.2 per game. Wilson leads the rebounders at 7.9 per game while Hartfield adds 7.1 per game. The Moundbuilders struggle from the line, connecting on just 62.8 percent of their foul shots.

As a team, Southwestern shoots 41.3 percent from the field overall, including 30.5 percent from behind the three point line, while scoring 65.2 points per game. Southwestern’s opponents are scoring just 58.6 points per game while shooting 38.3 percent from the field. Southwestern leads the rebounding margin by 4.1 rebouonds per game, outrebounding its opponents 38.9 to 34.8.

The Moundbuilders are scoring 61.7 points per game in conference play, shooting 39.8 percent from the field, including 31.2 percent from behind the three point line. Southwestern continues its struggles at the line in KCAC play shooting just 62.3 percent from the foul stripe. KCAC play sees Southwestern’s opponents scoring 57.2 points per game, while shooting 38.9 percent from the field, including a frosty 22.1 percent from behind the three point arc. Southwestern also holds a 38.1 to 34.2 rebounding advantage over its opponents in KCAC play.

THE LAST MEETING – December 6 – Southwestern 72, KWU 71 (2OT) in Winfield -- Kansas Wesleyan rallied from a 17-point second half deficit, falling just short, dropping a 72-71 decision to the Moundbuillders.

Southwestern used a 6-0 run midway through the second half to give the Moundbuilders their biggest lead of the night at 17, when Wesleyan would rally. A 22-4 run would give Wesleyan a 56-55 lead with 4:44 left, but after a technical for illegal substitution by the Coyotes, Southwestern would take the lead back.

Kelli Berg would score the game tying bucket with 1:44 left in regulation, but neither team could find the basket the rest of t he half, forcing overtime. After each team scored just four points in the first overtime, Jenna Wilson gave Southwestern a 72-68 lead late in double overtime and LaCole Wilkinson’s half court shot at the buzzer would count, giving Southwestern the one point win.

Baldwin set a new KWU record for rebounds in the game with 20, shattering the old record of 17 held by five other individuals, last accomplished in 1989 twice by Robyn Wright. Dittmer led the Coyotes with 22 points, while Baldwin would add 16.

Beal led Southwestern with 16 points, while Kinsey Colclasure and Wilson added ten each.

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MEN’S PREVIEW

THE WEEK IN REVIEW
The Kansas Wesleyan men picked up two big wins last week on the road at McPherson (53-50) and at Tabor (85-71). Despite dropping an 86-72 decision at home to Ottawa on Saturday, the Coyotes remain on top of the KCAC standings, sharing a league best 7-3 record with four other teams.

Wesleyan opened the week with a Monday contest against McPherson, making up the game that was originally scheduled for December 8. Overcoming 22 turnovers and 32.7 percent shooting from the field, the Coyotes rallied on the heels of a 15-3 game ending run to get the 53-50 win over the Bulldogs.

Romero Hood led the way for the Coyotes with 13, while Trey Sims added 11 and Willie McCarty pitched in ten.

Wesleyan then headed to Hillsboro to take on the Tabor Bluejays on Thursday. Tabor had a 20-15 lead with 11:58 left in the first half, but a 34-8 run to end the half saw Wesleyan take a 21-point lead into the break.

The Coyotes would extend their lead to as many as 27, at the 18:20 mark of the second half, but Tabor used a 19-4 run to cut the lead to 12 with 5:23 left. Mychal Henderson had 27 to lead Wesleyan to the win.

KWU then opened its four game homestand on Saturday against Ottawa. The Coyotes jumped out to a 15-3 lead to start the game, but a 14-2 run saw the Braves tie the game up at 17-all with 10:33 to go in the first half.

Wesleyan pushed back out to a 32-27 lead with 5:42 left in the first before Ottawa used a 12-0 run to take a 39-32 lead just before the break.

Ottawa’s lead grew to as many as 18 with 8:44 to go in the game, but Wesleyan could not fight its way back into the game, dropping the 84-70 decision to the Braves.

The Wesleyan loss, the Ottawa win, coupled with losses by both Sterling and Southwestern threw the KCAC race into a logjam, with five teams heading up the league, all at 7-3.

ABOUT THE COYOTES THIS SEASON

After playing its first 15 games on the road this season, maybe the Coyotes should have just stuck to that plan. Wesleyan is 2-3 at home overall, while going 7-5 on the road. In four home games in KCAC play, the Coyotes are 2-2, but are 5-1 in conference on the road, picking up key wins at Southwestern and at Tabor, both difficult places to win in the conference.

Three KWU players are averaging double figure scoring overall, led by Trey Sims, who is also ranked second in the KCAC at 16.1 points per game. Henderson adds 12.9 and Romero Hood drops in 10.8 per game as the Coyotes are scoring 64.1 points per game so far this season, while giving up 67.3 points per game.

Henderson leads Wesleyan in scoring at 15.5 per game in KCAC play, while Sims adds 14.9 per game and Hood pitches in 12.7 through ten conference games. The Coyotes are outscoring their KCAC opponents 66.8 to 63.1 so far this season, while shooting 41.6 percent from the field, including 34 percent from behind the arc. Free throws are the hardship for Wesleyan so far this season, the Coyotes hitting just 61.4 percent from the foul line overall, but that number slips to a paltry 54.4 percent in KCAC play.

Wesleyan is being outrebounded by its overall opponents 39.7 to 33.4, but closes the gap in KCAC play, pulling down 35.6 boards, while allowing 36.8. Henderson leads the way for the Coyotes, pulling down 4.65 boards per game overall and 5.4 per game in KCAC play.

Tony Boone continues to lead the KCAC in assist average. His 4.94 assist per game average overall leads the KCAC and is 19th best in NAIA Division II. His 2.47 steals per game ranks him 16th overall in NAIA Division II.

- WE’LL TAKE THE ROAD, PLEASE! – Wesleyan is just 2-3 at home overall this season, 2-2 in KCAC play. However, the Coyotes are 7-5 overall on the road, including 5-1 in KCAC play.

- 63 ISN’T BAD IN HOOPS EITHER – In Wesleyan’s nine wins, only twice have the Coyotes allowed more than 63 points by the opponent. The first time in KWU’s 93-89 overtime win over Sioux Falls in the season opener, and last Thursday in KWU’s 85-71 win at Tabor.

- SEE THE THREE, BE THE THREE – Kansas Wesleyan has had 223 consecutive games where the Coyotes have hit at least one three pointer. The last time the Coyotes went 0-fer... February 21, 2000 in a 79-73 loss at Bethany. Wesleyan was 0-12 from deep.

ABOUT THE OPPONENTS

BETHANY COLLEGE SWEDES (5-15, 2-8)
It’s been a hard year for Coach Clair Oleen and his Bethany Swedes. Bethany started the season 0-6 before picking up two straight wins. Another four game losing streak came upon the Swedes before a win over Peru State snapped the string. Three more losses followed, before the Swedes rebounding picking up their only two KCAC wins over Bethel and Saint Mary in consecutive contests. The Swedes are currently riding a two-game skid heading into Thursday’s contest with the Coyotes.

C.J. Littlejohn leads Bethany, scoring 11.7 points per game overall, while Roddrick Williams adds 10.4 per game. Gordon Brown leads Bethany at 5.0 rebounds per game, while Justin Holcom adds another 4.9 per game.

In conference play, Littlejohn leads the way for Bethany, averaging 12.3 per game, while Williams and Holcom each pitch in 9.4 per game. Holcom is the top rebounder for the Swedes in conference, averaging 5.4 boards per game, while Zack Sullivan adds 4.8 per game.

As a team overall, Bethany is shooting 41.9 percent from the field, while allowing its opponents to shoot 45.4 percent. The Swedes are struggling to find the long range shot, hitting just 28.9 percent of their three-point attempts, while their opponents are dropping in 36.6 percent of their long bombs. Bethany is allowing 75.8 points per game, while just scoring 66.3 per game. The Swedes are also getting outrebounded 35.1 to 33.3 per game.

In conference, the Swedes are shooting 42.3 percent from the field while scoring 64.5 points per game. Those numbers include a dismal 24.8 percent from long range for the Swedes, while their opponents are hitting 36.1 percent of their shots from three. Bethany is allowing 72.7 points per game in KCAC play and is being outrebounded 35.5 to 32.3.

THE LAST MEETING – December 1 – KWU 74, Bethany 62 in Lindsborg -- Trey Sims led three Coyotes in double figures with 17 as Kansas Wesleyan knocked off Bethany 74-62 at Hahn Gym.

After Bethany would get within one with 6:52 to go in the first half, Wesleyan answered back with a 14-2 run that sent both teams into the half with the Coyotes leading 43-30.

Willie McCarty’s dunk with 12:16 left gave the Coyotes an 18-point advantage, but Bethany would get within six at 65-59 late before back-to-back three’s from the Coyotes would seal the deal.

Sims led three Coyotes in double figures with 17, while Hood pulled down a game high nine rebounds for the Coyotes.

Sullivan led the Swedes with 13, while Holcom added 12.

SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE MOUNDBUILDERS (12-8, 7-3)
Southwestern enters the week amongst the five-way tie for first place in the KCAC at 7-3 along with Wesleyan, Friends, Sterling and Ottawa. The Moundbuilders face Ottawa in Winfield on Thursday before Saturday’s match up with the Coyotes inside Muir Gym.

David King leads the Moundbuilders averaging 13.1 points overall, while Alwyn Jordan adds 11.9 and Justin Diggles pitches in 10.6 per game. Rodney Jackson leads Southwestern in rebounding, averaging 5.5 per game, while King adds 5.3 per contest.

Jordan is the only Southwestern player averaging in double figures in conference play, scoring 14.2 per game. King adds 9.9, while Diggles pitches in 9.5 per contest for the Moundbuilders. Jackson also leads Southwestern in rebounding in conference play at 6.0 per game, while Diggles pulls down 5.2 per game.

Overall as a team, the Moundbuilders average 71.8 points per game while shooting 46.6 percent from the field, which includes 34..3 percent from long range. Southwestern’s opponents are shooting 39.5 percent overall, while scoring 65.7 points per game. The Moundbuilders are also outrebounding their opponents by two per game 38.3 to 36.3 overall.

In conference play, Southwestern scores 68.9 points per game, while shooting 47.1 percent from the field, including 34.7 percent from three point range. Southwestern’s opponents are averaging 62.7 points per game, while shooting 39.5 percent from the field, which includes 28.4 percent from long range.

THE LAST MEETING – DECEMBER 6 – KWU 64, Southwestern 63 in Winfield – Last time these two teams met, the Coyotes were without the services of leading scorer Trey Sims. Enter Mychal Henderson. Henderson scored 31 points to lead the Coyotes to a 64-63 win over the then No.19 ranked Moundbuilders inside Stewart Fieldhouse.

Wesleyan jumped out to an 11-4 lead to start the game, but Southwestern answered back with its own 11-4 run to tie things up at 15-all with 10:14 left in the first half.

Southwestern ended the first half with a 6-2 run to take a 31-22 lead into the break.

Henderson’s three with 14:38 to go gave Wesleyan its first lead of the second half, capping a 12-2 run by the Coyotes, putting them up 34-33.

With the game tied at 62-all, Henderson would score the game winner with 53 seconds left. Southwestern had a golden chance to pull out the win. Sheldon Brown would hit one of two free throws, and Jackson’s put back would miss and the Coyotes grabbed the rebound to seal the win.

Henderson’s 31 led all scorers in the game while Hood added 12. McCarty had eight rebounds, while Henderson had seven.

Jarrett Tyler led Southwestern with 17 points, while Jordan dropped in 13.

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Wesleyan wraps up its four game homestand on February 7 against McPherson, before hitting the road for a game against Bethel on February 9. A home contest on Valentine’s Day against Saint Mary precedes two road contests at Sterling and Friends before the Coyotes wrap up the regular season at home against Tabor on February 23.

-- KWU SI --