WICHITA, Kan. — Senior forward
Rayland Garner reached the 1,000 career point milestone to help the (RV) Friends University Falcons pull out a 65-59 victory this evening (Nov. 19) over the Oklahoma Wesleyan University Eagles inside the Garvey Center and improve to 5-1 on the season.
Offense was hard to come by in the first half for both sides, as both teams shot under 30 percent during the first two quarters.
Friends led 14-5 at the end of the first quarter and extended the lead up to 20-9 before 11 straight points by the Eagles tied the game at 20-20 with 3:30 left until halftime.
The Falcons managed to take a 28-24 lead at the break following two free throws by
Jadyn Glasgow with four seconds left. Friends wouldn't trail the rest of the night but had to hold off another run by OKWU down the stretch.
A three by Garner and a bucket from
Abigail Barr pushed the lead to nine right out of the gate in the second half and a score from
Heaven Gilbert later pushed the edge up to 45-32.
After the Eagles clawed within nine,
Raegan Bugaj got free for a layup as time expired in the third quarter to again stretch the Falcon lead to double-figures heading to the fourth.
Garner then went right back to work with five straight points to begin the fourth period to give the Falcons what would be their largest lead of the night at 56-40.
The Eagles wouldn't quit and twice came within four, with the last time coming on a score from Khassidy Warr with 1:16 remaining.
But the Falcons got timely free throw shooting as
Lauryn McIver and
KK Peeler each went 2-of-2 at the line over the final 18 seconds to finally put it away.
"Sometimes coming off a hard-fought game like Evangel everything seems just a little out of sync," said Friends women's basketball head coach
Dean Jaderston. "We gave up so many offensive boards tonight and missed so many shots we normally hit, and I think that loss of rhythm was part of this. It was good Ray was scoring. Congrats to her on getting her 1000th point on a night when we needed it. At the end of the day, a conference win is a win. On to the next one."
Garner entered the night with 980 career points and got a game-high 28 points to become the eighth member of the Falcons' 1,000 career point club during the modern era while also recording her third straight game of at least 12 rebounds.
Neither team caught fire offensively, but the Falcons outshot the Eagles 37.7 percent (23-of-61) to 31.2 percent (24-of-77).
The Falcons will next play their first KCAC road game of the season Saturday (Nov. 22) at York University, Tip-off is at 1 pm in York, Neb.
Friends Top Performers
Rayland Garner
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- 28 points
- 6/8 free throws made
- 12 rebounds
- 3 assists
Abigail Barr
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- 14 points
- 6/12 field goals made
- 9 rebounds
Lauryn McIver
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- 5 assists
- 4 rebounds
- 1 block
Oklahoma Wesleyan Top Performers
Taliyah Harris
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- 15 points
- 4 assists
- 8 rebounds
Khassidy Warr
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- 14 points
- 11 rebounds
- 3 steals
Gracie Alexander
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- 12 points
- 5/6 free throws made
- 3 assists
