KWU’s Angel Lee credited the Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes’ fourth quarter rally to a change in their collective attitude.
Trailing Sterling 63-58 early in the fourth quarter KWU embarked on a stunning 20-8 run the final seven minutes and pulled away for a 78-71 Kansas Conference victory Wednesday night before a raucous crowd inside Mabee Arena.
The Coyotes improved to 8-2 with their sixth consecutive win and remain unbeaten in conference play (4-0). Sterling fell to 7-2 and 3-1.
Lee fueled the comeback scoring 11 of her 16 points in the final 10 minutes.
“It was mainly a mindset game,” said Lee, a senior guard. “Once you get out of your head you can do anything. Once you believe in yourself you can do anything. Play your game, have fun, you’ve got this.”
KWU trailed 37-24 with just over three minutes left in the second quarter but battled back and was within 41-33 at halftime. The Coyotes continued to chip away at the deficit in the third quarter and were down 60-54 entering the final period.
Wesleyan finally caught up on Jill Stephens’ 3-pointer that tied the game 67-67 with 3:57 left. The Coyotes took a 69-67 lead on two Lee free throws with 3:32 remaining but Sterling tied it on Korynn Clason’s basket 16 seconds later.
It was at that point the Coyotes took control embarking on a decisive 9-0 run that gave them a 77-69 lead with 31 seconds left. KWU scored on nine of its last 11 possessions while Sterling failed to score on six of its final eight.
Clason, a senior guard and the KCAC’s leading scorer, had 19 points in the first half on 8 of 12 shooting but managed just five on 2 of 7 shooting in the second half while working against Lee.
“She’s a great player,” Lee said of Clason. “We changed our gap on her and tried to keep a high hand (in her face) because once the hand is down the basket is huge.”
LaMyah Ricks also scored 16 to go along with four rebounds and four assists for KWU. Odessa Ozuna scored 13 and Stephens 10 – eight in the second half, five in the final four minutes. Hampton Williams had eight points, grabbed eight rebounds and had three steals, two assists and a block.
KWU shot 48 percent for the game (26 of 54) including 54.8 percent the second half (17 of 31). The Coyotes were outrebounded 19-11 the first half but won the second half 19-16. They also forced 16 turnovers, nine the final 20 minutes, while committing 11 turnovers themselves.
“(Coach Ryan Showman) got on us good (at halftime),” Lee said. “After that it was really positive mindsets and making sure we protect our homecourt no matter what. It’s a very important win especially with the streak we’ve got going. We don’t want it to end.”
Clason’s 24 points led Sterling which shot 49.2 percent for the game (32 of 65). The Warriors shot 54.5 percent the first half (18 of 33).
The Coyotes play Friends at 3 p.m. Saturday in the Garvey Center in Wichita in their next game. The Falcons (5-4, 3-1 KCAC) lost to Bethel 73-69 Wednesday in North Newton.
