The Lowdown: Avila University at Friends University
Location: Garvey Center
When: Saturday, Feb. 24 @ 1 pm
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Flying with the Falcons: The Friends University Falcons had their 12-game winning streak snapped at KCAC frontrunner Tabor College last Saturday (Feb. 17), but bounced back with a big fourth quarter surge to win 79-71 at York University Wednesday evening (Feb. 21) for their 13th win in 14 games. The Falcons are now 21-6 overall and remain in the third spot in the KCAC with an 18-3 league mark. Read the full recap of Wednesday's win at York HERE!
The trio of Rayland Garner, Taylor Jackson and Lauryn McIver are the Falcons' backbone this season, with Garner standing second in the KCAC in scoring (17.5 ppg) and Jackson topping the league in rebounding (11.2 rpg) and blocks (2.6 bpg) along with ranking fifth in scoring (14.6 ppg). Jackson's blocks per game are also second in the NAIA and McIver is tops in the KCAC with 4.7 assists per game.
The Falcons have been solid defensively, holding the opposition to just a 34.1 field-goal percentage overall and a 28.6 percent clip from the perimeter.
Scouting the Eagles: The Avila University Eagles have dropped their past two games and are now 9-18 overall and 8-13 in the KCAC.
The Eagles are led offensively by the duo of Hannah Pinkston (11.2 ppg) and Hannah Smith (10.4 ppg), with Pinkston also leading the team with 6.7 rebounds per game. Marlie Wright has recorded a team-leading 3.2 assists for Avila this season.
The Series: The Falcons are 9-4 all-time vs. Avila, with a 7-4 mark since the Eagles became a KCAC member in the 2018-19 season. The Falcons have won six of the last seven matchups overall, including 78-65 earlier this season in Kansas City. Friends has also bested Avila in four of the five meetings between the two schools in Wichita.
Quoting Head Coach Dean Jaderston
"It's hard to believe we're at the end of the regular season and there's a lot on the line. Avila is fighting for the eighth spot in the playoffs, and we still have a chance to tie for second with a little help from Ottawa. Avila has a dangerous and balanced lineup who can score from the perimeter and off the bounce, so we have to guard the whole floor. We also have to get our defensive intensity back. The past few games we have not guarded as hard or as well and we need to be at our best with our playoffs starting next week. It's also Senior Day for Kassie (Kinniburgh). She's been such a huge part of our success these past four years and we want her last regular season game to be a great one!"
Just Take Me Half the Way: Being on top at halftime has been a good indicator of success for the Falcons this season, as they've won all 16 games they've carried a lead into the locker room. But when trailing at the half, the Falcons are just 5-6.
Lending a Helping Hand: Friends University sophomore guard Lauryn McIver has made an immediate impact in her first season with the program, particularly distributing the ball. McIver tied a modern-era single-game record with 11 assists in the Falcons' 79-69 victory at Evangel University (Jan. 24) and now leads the KCAC with 4.7 assists per game on the season. The Phoenix, Ariz. native is also just 16 assists shy of tying the program's all-time single-season assists mark.
70 is a Serious Number: The Falcons have won 18 of 20 games when limiting the opposition to below the 70-point mark, but are 3-4 when allowing at least 70 points. Conversely, the Falcons are a perfect 19-0 when scoring at least 70 points, but are 2-6 when failing to reach the 70-point mark.
Make or Miss League: Sometimes basketball can be broken down in its most simplistic terms: The team that shoots the ball better wins the majority of the time. That has proven to be true thus far for the Falcons, as they're 20-1 when leading in field-goal percentage, but have lost five of six games in which the opposition has shot better from the field.
Sharing is Caring: The Falcons have won all 14 games when leading in assists, but are just 5-6 when the opposition records more helpers. Friends has also won both games that the assist count was even.
Block Parties: Taylor Jackson has been a major deterrent for the Falcons inside since joining the program for the 2021-22 season. Jackson has collected 14 KCAC Defensive Player of the Week awards for her career and has won five this year. The Houston, Texas native is the Falcons' modern-era career leader in blocks with 270 swats for her career.
Sponsor Alerts: Friends University Athletics is excited to have Home2 Suites by Hilton 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: 21-6
KCAC: 18-3
Home: 11-2
Road: 10-4
Neutral: 0-0
When scoring:
Under 50 points: 0-3
50-59 points: 0-3
60-69 points: 2-0
70-79 points: 11-0
80-89 points: 6-0
90+ points: 2-0
When allowing:
Under 50 points: 4-0
50-59 points: 6-1
60-69 points: 8-1
70-79 points: 3-3
80-89 points: 0-1
90+ points: 0-0
When leading at halftime: 16-0
When trailing at halftime: 5-6
When tied at halftime: 0-0
When committing fewer turnovers: 9-1
When committing more turnovers: 9-5
When turnovers are even: 3-0
When leading in field-goal percentage: 20-1
When trailing in field-goal percentage: 1-5
When field-goal percentage is even: 0-0
When leading in three-point percentage: 14-1
When trailing in three-point percentage: 7-5
When leading in rebounding: 18-3
When trailing in rebounding: 3-3
When rebounding is even: 0-0
When leading in assists: 14-0
When trailing in assists: 5-6
When assists are even: 2-0
In OT: 0-0
The Coaches:
Dean Jaderston is in his fifth season at the helm of the Friends University women's basketball program. The Falcon women's basketball program has seen considerable growth under his leadership both on and off the court. Last year the team finished 17-14, catching fire at the end of the season, making it all the way to the KCAC tournament championship game at Hartman Arena.
Jaderston brings a wealth of experience to Friends University, with over 30 years of coaching high school and college basketball (13 years high school and 23 years at the college level). Last season he recorded his 300th career collegiate win on December 13th vs. Tabor College.
As a men's basketball coach Jaderston was a two-time KCAC Coach of the Year. He coached six NAIA All-America performers during his tenure at Sterling College. He also led his teams to two KCAC championships and one KCAC tournament championship.
Prior to taking over at Sterling, Jaderston served in the dual role of men's basketball head coach and assistant athletic director at Trinity International University in Deerfield, IL for five seasons.
Before entering the college ranks he spent eight seasons as both the head girls' basketball and head girls' and boys' tennis coach at Rosemount High School in Rosemount, MN, and 4 years as the head boys' basketball coach at Eastview High School in Apple Valley, MN.
As an athlete Jaderston was a successful college basketball player at Crown College in St. Bonifacius, MN. He was a four-time all-conference selection while helping the team advance to four national tournaments. He also earned All-America and Academic All-America during his college career.
He also competed in tennis for three years at Crown and was a two-time conference singles and three-time conference doubles champion.
Jaderston and his wife Julie have been married for 34 years and are active in youth and camping ministries. They currently serve as executive directors of a premier summer Christian family conference called Northern Pines of Minnesota. They have 3 married sons and 7 grandchildren.
He earned his Bachelor of Arts in History/Secondary Education from Crown College in 1989 and then completed a Master of Arts in Adlerian Counseling and Psychotherapy from Adler Graduate School in 1998
Remy Wolfe is in her second season as head coach of the Avila University women's basketball program. Wolfe is familiar with the team, having served as the Eagles' top assistant coach for the previous three seasons.
Wolfe's coaching career started as a graduate assistant at Truman State University in the 2018-19 season.
Up Next: The Falcons are currently the third seed in the upcoming KCAC tournament and will host a quarterfinal game next Wednesday night (Feb. 28) inside the Garvey Center. With a win and a Saint Mary loss at Ottawa University, the Falcons would move into the second seed in the conference and host a semifinal round game next Saturday (Mar. 1) with a win on Wednesday.
