Pivotal week awaits Men’s Basketball with three key games

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The Coyotes have a busy week with three Kansas Conference games in six days. They begin with Southwestern at 8 p.m. Monday inside Mabee Arena then go to Sterling for an 8 p.m. contest Thursday against the Warriors. They finish with a game against Tabor at 7 p.m. Saturday back in 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. Monday and Thursday and 6:45 p.m. Saturday.

 

RECORDS 

Kansas Wesleyan 14-7 overall, 9-7 KCAC

Southwestern 18-3, 12-3

Sterling 2-19, 0-15 (at Saint Mary Monday)

Tabor 5-14, 3-13 (idle Monday, vs. Saint Mary Thursday)

 

THE SERIES

The Coyotes and Southwestern are 5-5 in the last 10 games. KWU won the first meeting this season 86-67 November 29 in Winfield but the Moundbuilders had won five of six before that. Southwestern has a 20-15 lead since January, 2006.

KWU has dominated Sterling of late winning 10 of 11, including a 102-44 victory December 2 in Mabee Arena in the first game this season. Sterling won the second game last season, ending the Coyotes’ 10-game winning streak. KWU has a 19-14 lead since December, 2005.

The Coyotes have a 19-15 advantage over Tabor since January, 2006 and won the first game this season 85-57 December 4 in Hillsboro. Tabor won twice before that, ending a five-game KWU winning streak.

 

KANSAS WESLEYAN AT A GLANCE

The Coyotes lost to Ottawa 67-60 Saturday in Ottawa. It was their second consecutive setback and sixth in their last eight games as injuries and illness have taken a toll. KWU led 34-30 at halftime but the Braves took control with a 17-5 run. Easton Hunter (FR/Colwich, Kan.)’s 3-pointer with 2:24 left got KWU within 55-53 before OU scored the next 10 points.

Jun Murdock (SO/Wichita, Kan.) scored 17 while Hunter had 13. The Coyotes shot 37.7 percent for the game (23 of 61) and were 8 of 15 at the foul line.

KWU averages 80 points per game and the opposition 71. The Coyotes are led in scoring by AJ Range (SR/Junction City, Kan.) at 14.8 and Murdock at 13.3; Range also averages a team-best 8.3 rebounds. The Coyotes boast a plus-6.4 rebounding margin (40.3-33.9).

 

SOUTHWESTERN AT A GLANCE

The Moundbuilders are on fire of late having won their eight games. The streak includes an 87-85 overtime victory over conference leader and No. 4-ranked Oklahoma Wesleyan on January 8 in Bartlesville, Okla. – the only game the Eagles have lost this season. Southwestern trounced Saint Mary 97-67 Saturday in Winfield and is 7-2 on the road this season.

Southwestern averages 85 points and shoots 48 percent from the field, 38.5 percent from 3-point range.

Cevin Clark averages a team-best 20 points, Zhahidi Robinson 14.8 and Deng Bol 13.5. Andrew O’Brien averages a team-high 11.1 rebounds to go along with 8.0 points.

 

STERLING AT A GLANCE

The Warriors have lost 15 in a row, are 1-8 at home and 1-9 on the road. They lost to Tabor 78-71 Saturday in Sterling but outscored the Bluejays 38-33 in the second half.

Sterling averages 66.6 points is shooting 39 percent as a team, 29 percent from long range. Opponents are averaging 84.6 points. The Warriors also have a minus-7.3 rebounding margin per game.

Derrian Reed is the top scorer at 16.5 points followed by Colby Baker at 9.4. Reed’s also the top rebounder with 5.0 per game.

 

TABOR AT A GLANCE

The Bluejays’ victory over Sterling on Saturday ended an eight-game losing streak but they’re just 2-10 in their last 12 games. Tabor’s 3-6 on the road this season.

The Bluejays average 65 points and allow 72.4. They’re shooting 41 percent overall, 32 percent from 3-point range and 54.5 percent from the foul line.

Montel Stewart is the top scorer at 9.4 points with Myles Jeffries next at 7.4 Bruno Araujo averages a team-best 6.4 rebounds.