LIVE LINKS: VIDEO (both) | AUDIO (both) | STER LIVE STATS | TABR LIVE STATS | STER TICKETS | TABR TICKETS
The Coyotes play two more Kansas Conference games this week starting with Sterling at around 8 p.m. Thursday inside Mabee Arena. They travel to Hillsboro for a game against Tabor starting at around 7 p.m. Saturday.
LIVE COVERAGE
The games will be available online through the Coyote Sports Network at www.kcacnetwork.com/
RECORDS
Kansas Wesleyan 8-1 overall, 4-1 KCAC
Sterling 2-8, 0-4 KCAC
Tabor 3-4, 1-3 (at Saint Mary Thursday)
THE SERIES
The Coyotes had won 10 in a row against Sterling before losing 75-68 January 20 inside Mabee Arena. They defeated the Warriors 94-86 December 19, 2020 in Sterling in the first game last season and have a 18-14 advantage since December, 2005.
KWU had won five straight against Tabor before losing twice last season. The Bluejays won 77-73 in overtime January 25 in Mabee Arena and 60-53 February 10 in Hillsboro. Tabor leads the series 19-14 since January, 2006.
KANSAS WESLEYAN AT A GLANCE
The Coyotes are off to their best start since the 2000-01 season when they won their first 10 games. They finished the season with a 20-10 record.
KWU defeated KCAC contenders Ottawa and Southwestern in their last two outings – Ottawa 83-81 Saturday in Mabee Arena and Southwestern 86-67 Monday in Winfield. It was an impressive display on the road against the Moundbuilders, who entered the game with one loss.
The Coyotes led Southwestern 46-30 at halftime and the Moundbuilders got within nine with nine minutes left. But the Coyotes responded with an 11-2 burst to end the suspense.
Alex Littlejohn (FR/Newton, Kan.) led KWU against Southwestern with 18 points and 13 rebounds off the bench. Cory Kaplan (SO/Merritt Island, Fla.) also had 18 points to go along with four rebounds and four assists, A.J. Range added 13 points and eight rebounds and Jun Murdock (SO/Wichita, Kan.) had 11 points and four assists.
The Coyotes held the Moundbuilders to their lowest point total of the season, 23 points below their season average of 90.3 per game.
STERLING AT A GLANCE
The Warriors have lost their last five games, including a 72-60 setback against Saint Mary on Monday in Sterling. Their four conference losses have been by an average of 22.5 points per game.
Sterling led Saint Mary 31-23 at halftime but was outscored 49-29 in the second half that included a 22-3 run. Saint Mary shot 50.8 percent (66.3 percent the second half, 21-33), won the rebounding battle by seven (11 in the second half) and forced 18 turnovers.
Derrian Reed and Jalen Jackson led Sterling with 16 points apiece. Jackson also had seven rebounds. The Warriors shot 39.7 percent from the field.
Reid averages a team-best 14.2 points and 5.7 rebounds. Nick Price averages 12.9 points.
Sterling’s shooting 39.6 percent from the field and 26.2 percent from beyond the arc.
TABOR AT A GLANCE
The Bluejays were idle Monday night after defeating Sterling 75-52 Saturday in Hillsboro.
Tabor had lost three in a row and four of five before the victory over Sterling. The Bluejays lost to Ottawa 67-55 in Hillsboro and Southwestern 78-67 in Winfield.
Point guard Nashom Carter leads a balanced scoring attack with a 10.0 average. Montel Stewart averages 9.0 and four others at least 7.1 points.
Stewart had a game-high 19 on 8 of 11 shooting in the victory over Sterling.
Tabor’s shooting 43.3 percent overall, 32.3 percent from 3-point range, but just 54.2 percent from the free throw line.
