The third-seeded Coyotes open play in the Kansas Conference championships with a game against sixth-seeded Ottawa.
TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW
Tickets for the KCAC Quarterfinals are on sale now at kcacsports.com/tickets. THE
GAME INFORMATION
Thursday: Ottawa at Kansas Wesleyan, 7 p.m., Mabee Arena
Saturday: KCAC semifinals, 7 p.m., at the site of the higher seeded team
LIVE COVERAGE
The game will be available online through the Coyote Sports Network at www.kcacnetwork.com/
RECORDS
Kansas Wesleyan 19-9 (17-5 KCAC)
Ottawa 17-11 (13-9 KCAC)
THE SERIES
KWU has been victorious in the last four games and 12 of 13. This season the Coyotes won 72-55 in December in Mabee Arena and 70-68 in Ottawa earlier this month. They’re 28-12 against the Braves since February 2006.
KANSAS WESLEYAN AT A GLANCE
The winner of Thursday’s game advances to the semifinals and game against either second-seeded Bethany or seventh-seeded Friends at 7 p.m. Saturday at the site of the higher seeded team. The championship game will be played at 8 p.m. Monday in Park City inside Hartman Arena. The winner receives a berth in the NAIA National Championship.
The Coyotes have won two in a row, eight of nine and 12 of 14. They defeated Tabor 62-61 last Wednesday, rallying from a nine-point deficit the final 58 seconds, and ended the regular season with a 70-34 rout of York – both games in Mabee Arena. Tylieea Wallace (SO/Overland Park, Kan.)’s 3-pointer with 2 seconds left was the difference against Tabor and Megan Foote (SO/Louisburg, Kan.) led the way with a career-high 18 points and 11 rebounds against York.
Point guard LaMyah Ricks (JR/Shawnee Mission, Kan.) was the named KCAC Defensive Player of the Week on Monday. She had three steals against Tabor and helped KWU hold York to its lowest point total of the season. She also averaged 13.5 points in the two games that included 16 against Tabor.
Caila Hill (SR/Rossville, Kan.) scored 15 points and Wallace 14 in the first game against Ottawa; Wallace also had nine rebounds. Ricks had 20 points and nine rebounds and Wallace 16 and 8 in the second game against the Braves.
KWU averages 69.3 points but allows just 63.5 and has a plus-3.5 rebounding advantage per game. Wallace leads the team in scoring at 12.0 and rebounding at 7.5 while Ricks averages 10.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.0 steals. Caila Hill averages 9.4 points and 6.0 rebounds.
OTTAWA AT A GLANCE
The Braves lost to Saint Mary 84-81 Saturday in Ottawa, ending their three-game winning streak. Ottawa has won five of its last seven and seven of 10.
Senior center Nicole Brown had 26 points and 13 rebounds against Saint Mary while senior guard Cierra Brown scored 23. Cierra scored 19 and Nicole had 14 and nine rebounds in the Braves’ 74-51 victory over Oklahoma Wesleyan last Wednesday. The Browns are Ottawa’s one-two punch – Nicole averaging 16.6 points and 11.6 rebounds and Cierra 14.8 points and 4.9 rebounds.
Ottawa averages 69 points and allows 62. The Braves shoot 42 percent as a team and are holding opponents to 36.7 percent. OU is 7-6 on the road this season.
