The Lowdown: Ottawa University at Friends University
Location: Garvey Center
When: Saturday, Dec. 2 @ 7 pm
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Flying with the Falcons: The Friends University Falcons have split their last two games, winning at home over Haskell Indian Nations University before falling on the road at Bethany College to come in at 3-4 overall and 1-2 in the KCAC.
KJ Spiller leads the Falcons in scoring with 13.4 points per game, with Drew Patterson and Kee'on Hutton each averaging 10.4 ppg. Tim Barbieri has secured a team-leading 6.9 rebounds and Steele Chapman has dished out a team-high 2.6 assists on the season.
As a team, the Falcons are shooting 47.6 percent overall from the floor and a solid 36 percent from the perimeter.
Scouting the Braves: The Ottawa University Braves are 5-3 overall and 1-2 in the KCAC after winning their first conference game of the season 90-84 over Bethel College on Wednesday night (Nov. 29).
The Braves sport two of the KCAC's top five scorers in Jayden Hibbitt (second, 20.6 ppg) and Deondre Buggage (fifth, 16.3 ppg). Buggage also leads the Braves in assists (4.0 apg) and Angok Anyang is tops in rebounding (8.4 rpg). In addition to his scoring prowess, Hibbitt is tied for second in the league in three-point percentage, hitting exactly 50 percent of his attempts beyond the arc.
Ottawa is shooting 45 percent from the field overall and 34 percent from three-point distance.
The Series: The Falcons and Braves have split 40 meetings since 2004, making the series as even as it can get. Ottawa has gotten the best of things recently, winning the past five matchups. The Falcons are 11-8 vs. the Braves in Wichita during that stretch, but have dropped the last two meetings in Wichita.
Quoting head coach Phil McClintock:
"We are looking forward to getting to play back in the Garvey Center this Saturday. Ottawa is a good team who can really score it. They will be a big challenge for us as we continue to grow as a team."
Sponsor Alerts: Friends University Athletics is excited to have Home2 Suites by Hilton back as an official athletic sponsor this season! For more on what they can offer, click HERE to visit their official webpage.
Falcons by the Numbers:
Overall record: 3-4
KCAC: 1-2
Home: 3-0
Road: 0-4
Neutral: 0-0
When scoring:
Under 50 points: 0-0
50-59 points: 0-0
60-69 points: 0-1
70-79 points: 1-3
80-89 points: 0-0
90+ points: 2-0
When allowing:
Under 50 points:
50-59 points: 1-0
60-69 points: 1-0
70-79 points: 0-0
80-89 points: 0-3
90+ points: 1-1
When leading at halftime: 2-0
When trailing at halftime: 1-4
When tied at halftime: 0-0
When committing fewer turnovers: 2-2
When committing more turnovers: 1-2
When turnovers are tied: 0-0
When leading in field-goal percentage: 3-0
When trailing in field-goal percentage: 0-4
When field-goal percentage is tied: 0-0
When leading in three-point percentage: 2-1
When trailing in three-point percentage: 1-3
When three-point percentage is tied: 0-0
When leading in rebounding: 2-0
When trailing in rebounding: 1-3
When rebounding is tied: 0-1
When leading in assists: 2-1
When trailing in assists: 1-3
When assists are tied: 0-0
In OT: 0-0
The Coaches:
Phil McClintock is in his first season as head coach of the Friends University men's basketball program.
McClintock brings a stark familiarity of the KCAC to Friends, highlighted by an eight-year tenure as Associate Men's Basketball Head Coach at Ottawa University.
At Ottawa, McClintock served as the recruiting coordinator and was responsible for film breakdown and scouting reports.
2019-20 was a breakout season, as McClintock brought in six of the team's top 10 players that produced a school-record 28 victories, a regular season KCAC championship and an NAIA Sweet 16 appearance (tournament ended early due to COVID-19).
In addition to his basketball coaching experience at Ottawa, McClintock has also been the Braves Men's and Women's Golf head coach for the past four seasons.
McClintock's first basketball head coaching position came at Salem high school, where he spent three seasons and guided the team in the 2014-15 campaign to their first winning record in eight years.
A strong developer of young players, McClintock has served as a Camp Coach at the KU Bill Self Basketball Camps every year since 2012. His responsibilities at the camp include running drills, coaching teams and developing player skills.
His first career coaching job was a two-year tenure as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at William Woods University from 2010-12.
McClintock also played collegiately at Ottawa and enjoyed immense success, earning two NAIA All-America honors, a pair of All-KCAC nods while finishing his career as the all-time leader in blocked shots and top five all-time in scoring, rebounding and steals. An Ottawa University Hall of Fame inductee in 2021, he helped the Braves to two conference titles and a pair of NAIA Sweet 16 berths.
A 2009 graduate of Ottawa University in Physical Education and Health, McClintock then earned his Master of Education in Athletics/Activities Administration from William Woods University in 2012.
McClintock and his wife Kirsten have three boys, Lawson (14), Jackson (10), and Bodie (two).
Aaron Siebenthall is in his ninth season at the helm of the Ottawa University men's basketball program following a nine-year tenure as an assistant coach with the Braves. During this stretch, Siebenthall has coached three NAIA All-Americans, one KCAC Player of the Year, 28 All-KCAC selections and the program has received the KCAC Men's Basketball Team of Character award on three occasions.
Under Siebenthall, the Braves captured the 2019-20 KCAC championship and advanced to the 'Round of 16' at the NAIA Division II National Tournament.
Before taking over as head coach, Siebenthall was an assistant coach for the program from 2005-15.
Up Next: The Falcons will be at the University of Saint Mary Wednesday night (Dec. 6) for an 8 pm tip-off in Leavenworth, Kan.
