Kansas Wesleyan Women’s Basketball closes out the fall semester schedule this week as the Coyotes head to Ottawa on Wednesday and host Saint Mary on Saturday.

WEDNESDAY
KWU at Ottawa, 6 p.m., Wilson Field House in Ottawa

SATURDAY
Saint Mary at KWU, 5 p.m., Mabee Arena

LIVE COVERAGE

• The video stream of the game will be available online through the Coyote Sports Network at www.kcacnetwork.com/kansaswesleyan.
• Live Stats will be available at https://kwucoyotes.com/sidearmstats/wbball/summary
• Radio coverage can be heard locally on KINA 910 AM/107.5 FM, and online at Salina Post. The online stream is also available at https://radio.securenetsystems.net/ce/kina2. Tyler Henry will have the call with pregame starting at 5:30 Wednesday, and 4:30 Saturday.

TEAM RECORDS
Kansas Wesleyan: 5-5, 3-1 KCAC
Ottawa: 4-4, 1-3 KCAC
Saint Mary: 6-2, 4-0 KCAC (host Friends on Wednesday)

THE SERIES
Against Ottawa, the Coyotes have won eight of the last ten meetings between the teams. KWU won both regular season match-ups last season, 72-55 on December 7 at home; and 70-68 on February 4 in Ottawa. Ottawa won the KCAC quarterfinal match-up 74-70. KWU is 46-45 all-time against Ottawa.

Against Saint Mary, the Coyotes have won eight in a row in the series, sweeping last year’s games 78-69 on December 10 in Leavenworth, and 76-74 in overtime on February 8 at Mabee Arena. KWU is 32-16 all-time against the Spires. The teams did not play in the 2020-21 season due to COVID.

LOOKING AT THE COYOTES

• After opening KCAC play with a loss to Friends. KWU has won its last three games, including Saturday’s hard-fought win over Bethany 71-66. LaMyah Ricks had 15 points to lead the Coyotes, while Daijane Adams had a breakout game, recording a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds to go along with three steals.
• LaMyah Ricks leads the Coyotes in scoring, averaging 12.5 points per game on the season overall, but ups that to 16.8 per game in conference play. Hampton Williams leads the Coyotes in rebounding averaging 4.4 per game, while Jill Stephens averages 4.2 per game.
• KWU is averaging 69 points per game while shooting 39 percent from the field, and 27.9 percent from 3-point range, and 71.2 percent at the line. KWU is averaging 36.3 rebounds per game. KWU’s opponents average 69.3 points per game while shooting 42.3 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from 3-point land, but struggle at the line, only connecting on 61.4 percent of charity tosses. Opponents are averaging 39.4 rebounds per game.

LOOKING AT OTTAWA

• Ottawa is 4-4 overall and 1-3 in the KCAC. Ottawa has lost its last two games, a 95-79 decision to Bethel and a 77-61 decision to Friends. Kennedy Bankett led the Braves with 19 points while Abby Dietsche had 14 points and eight rebounds in the Friends contest.
• Ottawa’s lineup features four players scoring in double figures led by 13 per game from Dietsche. Bankett averages 12.6, Tyree Allen 11.6 and Janiyah Hendricks at 10.3. Allen leads the Braves in conference only scoring at 13.5 per game. Dietsche is Ottawa’s leading rebounder at 8.1 per game.
• Ottawa is averaging 75.9 points per game while shooting 36.3 percent from the field and 33.2 percent from 3-point range and 70.8 percent at the line. Ottawa is averaging 40.5 rebounds per game. Ottawa’s opponents are averaging 74.9 per game while shooting 43.1 percent overall, 30.6 percent from 3, and 70.7 percent at the line.
• Ottawa coach Hunter Bondurant is in his first season as head coach for the Braves. He was an assistant for the team in 2022-23 after working with the Ottawa men’s team for the previous two seasons.

LOOKING AT SAINT MARY

• Saint Mary is off to one of its best starts to a season in program history at 6-2 overall. This is the first time in Spire program history that the team is off to a 4-0 start in KCAC play. The Spires topped the Bethel Threshers on Saturday 85-63 behind 17 points from Alanis Delgado and 15 from Paige Pendley.
• Tanea Sims leads the Spires in scoring at 14.4 per game overall, while Pendley paces the Spires in conference play at 16.3 per game fueled a 34-point performance against Oklahoma Wesleyan last Wednesday. Sims also leads the Spires in rebounding at 8.8 per game.
• Saint Mary shoots 39.3 percent from the field, 34.1 percent from 3-point range, and 77.6 percent at the line while averaging 71.1 points per game, and 75.5 per game in conference play. Saint Mary’s opponents shoot an equal 39.3 percent from the field, but are limited to 29.2 percent shooting from 3, and 64.2 percent at the line while averaging 67.1 points per game overall and 59 per game in conference play.
• Andy Kelley is in his third season leading the Spires after coming from Baker where he spent four seasons as an assistant.