The No. 21-ranked Coyotes will play two non-conference games in the Valley of the Sun to close out the pre-Christmas portion of their schedule.
GAME INFORMATION
Saturday: Kansas Wesleyan vs. SAGU-American Indian at Phoenix, Arizona, 8 p.m. Central time.
Monday: Kansas Wesleyan vs. Park-Gilbert at Gilbert, Arizona, 5 p.m. Central time.
LIVE COVERAGE
There will be no live coverage of the SAGU-American Indian College game. The Park game will be available online through links available on kwucoyotes.com for both live video and live stats. Neither game will available on radio.
RECORDS
Kansas Wesleyan 10-1
SAGU-American Indian 3-5
Park-Gilbert 3-7 (vs. Benedictine Mesa Saturday)
THE SERIES
It will be KWU’s first game against both schools.
KANSAS WESLEYAN AT A GLANCE
The Coyotes defeated Sterling 81-54 Tuesday in Mabee Arena, spurred by another sensational defensive effort. Sterling shot 33.3 percent including 3 of 18 from 3-point range and committed 18 turnovers. KWU shot 42 percent and was led by Alex Littlejohn (SO/Newton, Kan.)’s 16 points and 10 rebounds – his eighth double-double of the season. Izaiah Hale (SO/Wichita, Kan.), filling in for Easton Hunter (JR/Colwich, Kan.) who was ill, had 12 points and Thurbil Bile (JR/Centennial, Colo.) 10.
KWU ranks fourth in the NAIA in opponents field goal percentage (37.2) and is eighth in scoring defense (60.8 points). The Coyotes average 74.2 points and are shooting 43.3 percent overall, 30 percent from deep. They have a plus-3.6 rebounding margin.
Littlejohn continues to average a double-double per game – 12.0 points, 11.0 rebounds. Jun Murdock (JR/Wichita, Kan.) averages 11.7 points and Hunter 7.8. Hunter leads the team with 19 3-pointers.
SAGU-AMERICAN INDIAN AT A GLANCE
The Warriors have won their last two games – 73-58 over Benedictine Mesa on December 6 and 89-68 over Haskell on December 10. The victories ended a four-game losing streak.
They average 68.5 points and allow 73. They’re shooting 45 percent from the field, 30 percent beyond the 3-point arc and have a minus-5.3 rebounding margin per game. They also average 14 turnovers.
Junior center Keyshawn Celestino-Clyde is the leading scorer (20.0 points) and rebounder (10.1) followed by freshman guard/forward Rob Jenkins (12.0 points, 5.3 rebounds).
PARK GILBERT AT A GLANCE
The Buccaneers have lost two in a row and four of their last five including an 85-62 loss to No. 4-ranked Grace on Wednesday in Gilbert. They defeated Haskell 68-66 December 9 in Gilbert for their lone victory in the last five games.
Junior guard LC Ballard averages a team-best 13.4 points followed by sophomore guard Zach Lewkowski who averages 11.6. Olgierd Dmochewicz, a junior center, is the leading rebounder at with 7.6.
Park Gilbert averages 64.6 points, allows just under 76 and has a minus-2.0 rebounding margin. The Buccaneers shoot 41 percent from the field but just 26 percent from long range.
