WICHITA, Kan. – The (RV) Kansas Wesleyan University Coyotes outscored the Friends University Falcons 15-5 in overtime to escape with an 86-76 win in an intense KCAC matchup tonight (Jan. 27) inside the Garvey Center.
Trailing 71-70 late in regulation, KJ Spiller put in one of his game and career-high 24 points at the free-throw line to tie the score with 24 seconds left.
On the last possession of regulation, the Falcons forced a miss in the final seconds to send the game into the extra session.
With the overtime period still even at 73-73, a three by Easton Hunter and a three-point play from Alex Littlejohn ignited a 9-0 spurt over the next three minutes to give KWU control they wouldn't relinquish.
The game was tightly contested throughout and featured 12 ties and 10 lead changes, with the final 10-point margin representing the largest lead for either side.
KWU threatened to take control and built a nine-point lead of 23-14 at the 11:12 mark of the opening half.
Still trailing by six, Al Emerllahu scored five straight points and Steele Chapman connected from three-point distance in an 8-2 run that tied the score at 32-32 with 3:05 left in the first half.
The Coyotes led 36-34 at the break, but two buckets by Spiller helped the Falcons grab a 41-39 lead less than two minutes into the second half.
A three by Spiller then started a 7-0 spurt that turned a three-point deficit into a 48-44 lead for the Falcons.
After the Coyotes pulled even, Spiller scored again to cap six straight points and give the Falcons what would be their biggest lead of the night.
But Izaiah Hale scored five points to key an 8-2 run and tie the score for the ninth time.
Following a score by Emerllahu that gave the Falcons a three-point lead, the Coyotes used a 9-2 burst over the next 3:30 to take a 65-61 lead.
But as was the case the whole night, the Falcons wouldn't go quietly and jumped ahead again when a three-point play by Tim Barbieri finished a run of seven straight points and made it 68-65 with 3:53 remaining.
The back-and-forth action continued as five straight points put KWU back in front ahead of the final sequences of regulation.
"I'm proud of our guys' effort tonight," said Friends men's basketball head coach Phil McClintock. "We were right there all game and gave ourselves a chance to win by playing hard and executing on both ends. Even though we lost, I feel like we took a step forward tonight."
Spiller shot 9-of-12 in leading everyone in scoring and also dished out a career-high six assists. Barbieri had a double-double with a season-high 19 points and 12 rebounds, with Emerllahu chipping in with 13 points for the Falcons (7-12, 4-10 KCAC).
Jun Murdock led four Coyotes in double-figure scoring with 19 points, with Littlejohn recording a triple-double of 18 points, 11 boards and 11 assists. Thurbil Bile added 15 points and Hale scored 11.
Despite KWU (15-5, 12-2 KCAC) shooting a blazing 58.2 percent (32-of-55) for the game, the Falcons hung in on the strength of a 37-31 rebounding edge that resulted in a 14-0 advantage in second-chance points.
The Coyotes though outscored the Falcons 36-28 in the paint and 18-8 in points off turnovers.
Friends will next play at McPherson College Wednesday night (Jan. 31) at 8 pm in McPherson, Kan.
