Mar 02, 2024

Coyotes host Southwestern in KCAC Semifinals on KINA

Posted Mar 02, 2024 3:08 PM

The second-seeded Coyotes play third-seeded and No. 9-ranked Southwestern in the semifinals of the Kansas Conference Tournament.

SATURDAY'S GAME
Opponent: Southwestern Moundbuilders
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Mabee Arena

LIVE COVERAGE

  1. The video stream of the game will be available online through the Coyote Sports Network at www.kcacnetwork.com/kansaswesleyan.
  2. Live Stats will be available at https://kwucoyotes.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary
  3. 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 6:30

TICKETS

  1. Tickets for the KCAC tournament are on sale now at kcacsports.com --> GET TICKETS HERE
  2. This is a no pass event, per KCAC policy
  3. All tickets must be purchased online, there will be no on-site ticket sales, KWU ticket staff will be available to help with ticket sales at the door, but there will be no cash sales

RECORDS

  1. Kansas Wesleyan 22-7
  2. Southwestern 24-4

THE SERIES

  1. Each team has won 20 games since January 2006 but the Coyotes have won the last five. KWU won a pair of thrillers earlier this season - 96-92 January 3 in Winfield and 96-93 in overtime February 17 in Mabee Arena.

KANSAS WESLEYAN AT A GLANCE

  1. KWU advanced with a 75-69 quarterfinal victory over seventh-seeded Ottawa on Thursday night in Mabee Arena. Five Coyotes scored in double figures led by Caden Hale with 18 off the bench. Jun Murdock had 14, Alex Littlejohn 12 and 14 rebounds and Thurbil Bile and Izaiah Hale scored 10 each. KWU led 73-60 with 3:25 left but a 9-0 Ottawa run closed the gap to 73-69. A Bile dunk with 39.3 seconds left was the game's final points.
  2. The Coyotes have won four in a row and six of their last seven including the second victory over Southwestern. KWU trailed 80-70 with under four minutes left but rallied to force OT. Murdock scored 35 points and Littlejohn had 31 and 14 rebounds. In the first game in Winfield Littlejohn had 31 points and 13 rebounds, Murdock 18 points and Easton Hunter 17.
  3. Wesleyan is 12-8 at home against Southwestern since January 2006. The Coyotes have a 6-4 advantage over the last 10 games.
  4. Murdock and Littlejohn were named to the All-KCAC First Team earlier this week and Murdock was on the All-Defensive Team. Bile and Izaiah Hale were named Honorable Mention.
  5. Murdock leads the team in scoring (18.1) followed by Littlejohn (16.7), Izaiah Hale (10.7) and Bile (10.0). Bile is shooting 64.6 percent from the field and Littlejohn 54.5 percent. Littlejohn is the leading rebounder (11.1) and ranks fifth in the NAIA.
  6. The Coyotes average 82 points, are shooting 47 percent, 33.6 percent from long distance and are averaging 11.3 turnovers. Opponents average 75 points and are shooting 42.7 percent, 30.6 percent from deep.

SOUTHWESTERN AT A GLANCE

  1. The Moundbuilders defeated McPherson 93-79 in their quarterfinal game Thursday in Winfield. Southwestern led 52-33 at halftime and was paced Cevin Clark's 35 points. Jarvis Jennings added 18.
  2. Clark, a senior guard from Arkansas City, leads the NAIA in scoring with is 26.8 average. He scored 22 in the first game against KWU and 38 in the second. He has surpassed the 30-point plateau nine times this season and was named the KCAC's Player of the Year earlier this week. He shoots 48.5 percent overall, 38.5 percent from deep and 83 percent from the foul line.
  3. Junior guard Justin DeMaria averages 13.1 points and senior forward Andrew O'Brien 10.3 and a team-best 8.4 rebounds.
  4. Southwestern scores an average of 90 points and allows 72. The Moundbuilders shoot 48 percent overall, 38 percent from the 3-point line, and are outrebounding their opponents by just 12 per contest. They also average 9.5 turnovers.
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