The Lowdown: USAO at (RV) Friends University
Location: Garvey Center
When: Tuesday, Nov. 25 @ 6 pm
Broadcast
Live Stats
Flying with the Falcons: The (RV) Falcons led wire-to-wire in a dominating 82-55 victory at York University last Saturday (Nov. 22) to improve to 6-1 overall and 2-1 in the KCAC this season. Read all about the Falcons' convincing win at York HERE!
Rayland Garner recently reached 1,000 career points and leads the KCAC in scoring (20.9 ppg) and is fourth in the league in rebounding (8.6 rpg). Abigail Barr is second on the Falcons in both scoring (16.1 ppg) and rebounding (6.1 rpg) and is third in the league in field-goal percentage (63.1). Lauryn McIver is averaging a solid stat line of 14.9 ppg, 5.6 rpg and 4.7 apg, with KK Peeler leading the Falcons and ranking fourth in the KCAC with 5.1 assists along with 5.6 rebounds. Katie Weiss is also averaging 10.0 ppg and has hit a team-leading 21 threes on a solid 39.6 percent shooting clip from three-point distance.
Scouting the Drovers: The University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma Drovers are a perfect 5-0 on the season and have won both games in the Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) over Oklahoma City University and Southwestern Christian University.
Evangelia Davlakou is tops on the Drovers and the SAC with 20.8 ppg, with Hannah Harris leading USAO and ranking second in the SAC in rebounding (9.2 rpg). Davlakou is also the Drover's main distributor with a team-leading 4.4 assists per game while ranking third in the SAC in three-point percentage (48.3).
The Series: The Falcons are 7-5 vs. the Drovers since 2006 and 3-0 in Wichita during that stretch. USAO won the last matchup at home 69-57 in 2017 but prior to that, Friends had won six straight matchups.
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.
Mano a Mano: It'll be a showdown of two respected league's top scorers tonight as the KCAC's leading scorer Rayland Garner (20.9 ppg) faces the top scorer in the SAC in Evangelia Davlakou (20.8 ppg).
Thrice as Nice: The Falcons have led in three-point percentage in all seven games this season.
Make or Miss League: The Falcons have won all six games this season when leading in field-goal percentage but lost 95-88 to Evangel in the only game they've been outshot this season.
Welcome to the Club: Senior forward Rayland Garner entered last Wednesday night's (Nov. 19) contest against Oklahoma Wesleyan with 980 career points and scored a game-high 28 to become the eighth member of the Falcons' 1,000 career point club during the modern era and help the Falcons to a 65-59 victory.
Model of Consistency: The Falcons have finished no lower than fourth in the KCAC in three of the last four seasons under head coach Dean Jaderston.
Falcons by the Numbers
Overall record: 6-1
KCAC: 2-1
Home: 3-1
Road: 3-0
Neutral: 0-0
When scoring:
Under 50 points: 0-0
50-59 points: 0-0
60-69 points: 1-0
70-79 points: 0-0
80-89 points: 4-1
90+ points: 1-0
When allowing:
Under 50 points: 0-0
50-59 points: 2-0
60-69 points: 2-0
70-79 points: 1-0
80-89 points: 0-0
90+ points: 1-1
When leading at halftime: 4-0
When trailing at halftime: 2-1
When tied at halftime: 0-0
When committing fewer turnovers: 1-0
When committing more turnovers: 4-0
When turnovers are even: 1-1
When leading in field-goal percentage: 6-0
When trailing in field-goal percentage: 0-1
When field-goal percentage is even: 0-0
When leading in three-point percentage: 6-1
When trailing in three-point percentage: 0-0
When leading in rebounding: 6-0
When trailing in rebounding: 0-1
When rebounding is even: 0-0
When leading in assists: 5-0
When trailing in assists: 0-1
When assists are even: 1-0
In OT: 1-0
The Coaches:
Dean Jaderston is in his seventh 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. Their consistency and competitiveness have led to an 81-43 record over the past four years, including two trips to the KCAC championship game in the past three seasons.
Jaderston brought a wealth of experience to Friends University, having coached for over 30 years (24 years in college and 13 years in high school). On December 13, 2022, he recorded his 300th career collegiate win 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. In 2024 he was inducted into the Crown College Athletic Hall of Fame.
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.
Jaderston and his wife Julie have been married for 38. They also currently serve as executive directors of a premier summer Christian family conference called Northern Pines of Minnesota. They have three married sons and nine grandchildren.
Jaye Nayreau is in his second season as head coach of the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma Drovers. Before coming to USAO, Nayreau was an assistant coach for four seasons at NCAA D-I Tennessee State University.
Nayreau's coaching stops also include Florida A&M University (NCAA D-I) and Trinity Valley CC (NJCAA). He was also an assistant coach for Texas Southern University (NCAA D-I) from 2013-15.
Up Next: Following the Thanksgiving Break, the Falcons will get right back into KCAC action at home next Wednesday evening (Dec. 3) at 6 pm vs. Bethel College.
