Women’s Basketball heads to Sterling Wednesday, hosts Oklahoma Wesleyan Saturday

By KWU Athletics Release January 16, 2024

Kansas Wesleyan plays two more Kansas Conference games this week starting with a trip to Sterling and finishing with a weekend home game against Oklahoma Wesleyan.

 

WEDNESDAY’S GAME

Opponent: SterlingTime: 6 p.m.Location: Gleason Center, Sterling

 

SATURDAY’S GAME

Opponent: Oklahoma WesleyanTime: 6 p.m.Location: Mabee Area, Salina

LIVE COVERAGE

RECORDS

  • Kansas Wesleyan 8-8, 6-4 KCAC
  • Sterling 7-9, 4-6 KCAC
  • Oklahoma Wesleyan 4-12, 2-8 KCAC (vs. Friends on Wednesday)

THE SERIES

  • The Coyotes have lost four in a row and seven of eight to Sterling. They are 15-27 against the Warriors and 5-17 in games played in Sterling since 2005. Sterling won 76-57 last December in Mabee Arena and 76-66 last February in Sterling.
  • KWU has won three in a row, four of the last five and nine of the last 11 against OKWU. The Coyotes are 9-1 against the Eagles inside Mabee Arena including a 64-53 victory last December. They defeated OKWU 64-52 last February in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Saturday is the only regular-season game between the two schools this season.

KANSAS WESLEYAN AT A GLANCE

  • The Coyotes moved to .500 on the season last week with a 75-64 victory at York and 62-57 victory over Avila on Saturday in Mabee Arena. Odessa Ozuna led four players in double figures with 13 points against York. Kourtney Kaufman and Jill Stephens scored 12 apiece and Daijane Adams had 11. KWU scored the game’s last nine points in the Avila victory. Stephens was 4 for 4 at the free throw line the final 1:26 and LaMyah Ricks scored the game-clinching basket with 4.6 seconds left.
  • KWU’s bench was huge in both games last week. Kaufman scored all 12 of her points in the second quarter against York, going 4 for 4 from beyond the 3-point arc. Adriana DiPrima scored all 12 of her points in the second quarter, including three 3-pointers, and Alexis Dixon scored all nine of her points in the first half against Avila.
  • Stephens (11.6) and Ricks (11.5) lead the team in scoring and are the leading rebounders – Stephens 4.8 and Ricks 4.7. Ricks averages a team-best 2.1 assists and 1.4 steals while Stephens has a team-high 36 3-pointers and is shooting 35 percent from long range (36 of 103).

STERLING AT A GLANCE

  • The Warriors have lost four in a row including a 79-75 setback against Friends on Saturday in Wichita and lost to Bethel 87-85 last Wednesday in Sterling. They are the three-time defending KCAC regular-season champions (KWU won the 2019-20 title with Sterling second a game back).
  • Korynn Clason, the lone returning starter from last season, leads the KCAC in scoring and is 10th in the NAIA at 21.3 points per game. She was named this week’s KCAC Offensive Player of the Week having scored 40 against Bethel and 23 vs. Friends. She also averages a team-best 6.0 rebounds. Teammate Alissa Heskamp is third in scoring in the KCAC at 15.1 while Kali Briar averages 10.9 points.
  • Sterling averages 69.5 points but allows 74.8 and is committing an average of 18.6 turnovers per game. The Warriors shoot 41.7 percent overall, 32.8 from the perimeter.

OKLAHOMA WESLEYAN AT A GLANCE

  • The Eagles have lost their last two games and five of their last seven. They fell to Bethel 94-76 Saturday in North Newton and Evangel 65-63 last Wednesday in Bartlesville. They downed Sterling 75-65 January 6 in Bartlesville.
  • Scoring has been an issue. The Eagles were averaging 58 points and shooting 36 percent overall, just 19 percent from long distance, entering their game Wednesday at Friends. Opponents were averaging 67.5 points and shooting 41 percent. They also had a minus-6.1 rebounding margin.
  • Rashaan Smith averages a team-best 10.5 points and 6.5 rebounds. River Jeffries is next in scoring at 6.9 points.