The Lowdown: No. 13 Oklahoma Wesleyan Eagles at No. 18 Friends University
Location: Garvey Center
When: Wednesday, Nov. 19 @ 8:00 PM
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Flying with the Falcons: The Falcons enter the week 1-0 in conference play after securing an 88-79 victory over the Evangel Valor last Saturday (Nov. 15). The win improved Friends to 4-1 overall as they head into their top-20 matchup against the No. 13 Oklahoma Wesleyan Eagles.
Through the first five games, the Falcons' offense has been one of the most efficient in the conference. They lead the conference in assists per game (20.8) and commit the fewest turnovers with (9.8 per game). As a team, they are shooting 48.7% from the field and 41.5% from three, which also ranking first in both 3PT makes per game (11.8) and field-goal makes per game (33.2).
Friends continue to be led by its veteran core. Cahlese Lee leads the Falcons with 16.6 points per game on 52.8% shooting overall and 40.6% from beyond the arc, while also knocking down 87.5% of his free throws. Collin Maclin has been another key piece, averaging 14.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game while shooting an impressive 45.5% from deep. Ringo Deng has been a steady all-around presence contributing 10.8 points per game on 51.5% shooting, along with 6.2 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game. Randy Woolf, Jr. has also been impactful with 13.5 points, 5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game.
The Falcons are getting meaningful production from their bench as well. Devin Davis is close to averaging double figures (9.8 ppg), while adding 3 rebounds per game. Eli Benning has been instrumental on both ends, leading the team in assists (5.0 apg) and steals (4.2 spg). Owen Evans has provided valuable perimeter shooting, knocking down 50% of his attempts from three (12-24 3PT).
Scouting the Eagles: Oklahoma Wesleyan entered the season as the preseason favorite in both KCAC polls and opened the year ranked No. 10 in the NAIA Preseason Coaches' Top 25. They currently sit at No. 13 in the latest national rankings. The Eagles come into the matchup 1-0 record in KCAC play after a 96-78 road win over Tabor and hold a 4-1 overall record with wins over Georgia Gwinnett College, MidAmerica Nazarene University, and Texas Wesleyan University. Their lone loss being a narrow 3-point setback to No. 7 Langston.
The Eagles are paced by Temaje Izuagbe, who is averaging 18.2 points per game, while an efficient 61.4% from the field and 57.1% from three, along with 5.0 rebounds per contest. Nick Bene is adding 10.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, and Ethan Williams leads the playmaking efforts with 4.8 assists per game for the Eagles.
The Series: This will be the 34th all-time meeting between the two programs. Friends claimed the most recent matchup, an 88-82 victory during the 2024-25 season, a win that also came on their home court. Despite that result, Oklahoma Wesleyan leads the series 26-8 since the 2007-08 season.
High Expectations: The Falcons are coming off their winningest season in six years and a runner-up finish in the KCAC after being picked ninth and tenth in last year's preseason polls. This season, they were projected to finish second in both KCAC preseason polls, earning multiple first-place votes in each. Their strong start has also sparked national attention, as the Falcons climbed six spots to No. 18 in the latest NAIA Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 poll (Nov. 12).
Promo Depot: We are proud to have Promo Depot as a sponsor of Friends University Athletics this season! Click HERE for more info on the services Promo Depot can offer!
Kansas Army National Guard: We are thrilled to have the Kansas Army National Guard on board with us this year as an official sponsor! Click HERE to visit their website.
Falcons by the Numbers (2025-26)
Overall record: 4-1
KCAC: 1-0
Home: 1-1
Road: 1-0
Neutral: 2-0
When scoring:
Under 50 points: 0-0
50-59 points: 0-0
60-69 points: 0-0
70-79 points: 1-0
80-89 points: 1-1
90+ points: 2-0
When allowing:
Under 50 points: 0-0
50-59 points: 0-0
60-69 points: 2-0
70-79 points: 2-0
80-89 points: 0-1
90+ points: 0-0
When leading at halftime: 4-0
When trailing at halftime: 0-1
When tied at halftime: 0-0
When committing fewer turnovers: 3-1
When committing more turnovers: 1-0
When turnovers are tied: 0-0
When leading in field-goal percentage: 3-0
When trailing in field-goal percentage: 1-1
When field-goal percentage is tied: 0-0
When leading in three-point percentage: 4-0
When trailing in three-point percentage: 0-1
When three-point percentage is tied: 0-0
When leading in rebounding: 3-0
When trailing in rebounding: 1-1
When rebounding is tied: 0-0
When leading in assists: 3-0
When trailing in assists: 1-1
When assists are tied: 0-0
In OT: 0-0
The Coaches:
Phil McClintock is in his third season as head coach of the Friends University men's basketball program and has already transformed the Falcons into a national contender. Last season was the true breakout, as McClintock guided the Falcons to their most wins (24) in six years, the program's first NAIA National Tournament victory since 2013-14 and a second-place finish in the KCAC that saw the program fighting for the top spot until the final day of the regular season.
McClintock brought 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 (15), Jackson (11), and Bodie (three).
Donnie Bostwick is in his eighth total year as head coach at Oklahoma Wesleyan University across two seperate stints, compiling 223 wins and an 83%-win percentage. A Pryor, Oklahoma native, Bostwick has coached successfully at multiple levels, including leading Vinita High School to a state title game and serving as an assistant at John Brown University during its 2005 NAIA National Championship season. He first became OKWU's head coach in 2007 and guided the program to the 2009 NAIA DII National Championship, setting a record with 39 consecutive wins. Bostwick later spent six seasons as the head coach at Southwestern Assemblies of God University, making five NAIA National Tournament appearances and reaching the 2013 NAIA DI National Championship Game.
Since returning to OKWU in 2017, he has led the Eagles to four straight NAIA National Tournament Sweet Sixteen appearances. He is also a three-time NAIA National Coach of the Year (2009, 2010, 2013) and has coached internationally, including a stint as a Team USA assistant in 2015.
Up Next: The Falcons will be traveling to York, Nebraska on Saturday (Nov. 22) to take on the York University Panthers. Tip off is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
