Coyotes finish regular season with home games against Tabor and York

GAME INFORMATION

Wednesday: Tabor at Kansas Wesleyan, 8 p.m., Mabee Arena

Saturday: York at Kansas Wesleyan, 8 p.m., Mabee Arena

 

LIVE COVERAGE

The games will be available online through the Coyote Sports Network at www.kcacnetwork.com/kansaswesleyan. Live Stats will be available at www.kwucoyotes.com. Radio coverage will be on FM-104.9 in the Salina area and around the world at www.ksal.com. Jackson Schneider will have the call with pregame starting at 7:45 p.m. both days.

 

RECORDS 

Kansas Wesleyan 23-3 overall, 17-3 KCAC

Tabor 8-18, 4-14

York 12-14, 10-10 (at Friends Wednesday)

 

THE SERIES

KWU has won four in a row and nine of 11 against Tabor including a 74-71 victory in Hillsboro earlier this season January 4. The Coyotes won three times last season – 85-57 in Hillsboro, 71-59 in Salina and 102-59 in Mabee Arena the first round of the KCAC Tournament in Salina. Tabor leads the series 19-18 since 2006.

The Coyotes have won five straight against York but trail in the series 12-7 since 2009. KWU prevailed 80-78 in the first game in York on January 7 and won 70-63 in York and 89-86 in Salina last season.

 

KANSAS WESLEYAN AT A GLANCE

Victories over Sterling and Saint Mary last week extended the Coyotes’ winning streak to three. They’ve won six of seven and 16 of 18. Tyus Jeffries (SR/Oklahoma City, Okla.) scored 18 off the bench and Alex Littlejohn (SO/Newton, Kan.) notched his 15th double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds against Saint Mary. KWU shot 51.7 percent for the game (31 of 60). Littlejohn scored 17 and Jun Murdock (JR/Wichita, Kan.) 13 as the Coyotes shot 59 percent in the Sterling victory.

Littlejohn had 22 points and 10 rebounds and Murdock 16 points as the Coyotes fended off Tabor’s upset attempts earlier this season. KWU trailed 39-27 at halftime against York in the first game but rallied the final 20 minutes. Littlejohn had 25 points and 12 rebounds and Easton Hunter (JR/Colwich, Kan.) scored 16 and Jeffries 15.

KWU ranks 14th in the NAIA in rebounds per game (40.4), 18th in defensive rebounds (39.6) and have a plus-4.4 rebounding average per game. They are also 13th in blocks (4.3) led by Thurbil Bile (JR/Centennial, Colo.) who averages 1.7.

Littlejohn averages 14.6 points and 11.4 rebounds, both team bests. He’s also shooting 51 percent from the field. Murdock averages 11.4 points and 2.8 assists.

KWU is 12-1 in Mabee Arena and 11-2 on the road.

 

TABOR AT A GLANCE

The Bluejays have lost their last five games and six of seven. They fell to Friends 67-61 Saturday in Hillsboro and are 2-7 on the road this season.

Thatcher McClure, a freshman, leads the team in scoring (13.5) and rebounding (5.7). He had 27 points and 10 rebounds in the first game against KWU. Austin Hilton averages 11.8 points.

Tabor averages nearly 66 points and allows just over 73. Opponent are shooting 45 percent, 36 percent beyond the 3-point arc.

 

YORK AT A GLANCE

The Panthers are 2-4 in their last six games and have lost two in a row including an 80-73 setback against Bethel on Saturday in York. They 5-8 on the road this season.

Brent Clark, a senior guard, scored 21 including 8 of 8 at the free throw line against KWU in the first game. He averages 19.5 points and had a season-high 38 against Ottawa on February 6. He scored 25 against Bethany last Wednesday. Erik Talton averages 12.7 points.

York averages 81 points and shoots 46 percent as a team but allows 80 points. Opponents are shooting 44 percent overall, 35 percent from long range.