The Lowdown: Tabor College Bluejays at No. 21 Friends University
Location: Garvey Center | Wichita, Kan.
When: Wednesday, Dec. 10 @ 8:00 PM
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Flying with the Falcons: The Falcons enter the matchup 4-1 in KCAC play and 7-2 overall. Friends are coming off a close 71-67 road victory on Saturday (Dec. 6) over Kansas Wesleyan. The Falcons are on a three-game winning streak as they look towards their matchup with the Tabor Bluejays.
The Falcons are led by Cahlese Lee, who averages 15.8 points per game while shooting 38.3 percent from beyond the arc and adding 4.2 rebounds per contest. Lee has also been reliable at the free-throw line, converting 86.4 percent of his attempts. Randy Woolf, Jr. continues to be a key contributor as well, posting 12.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.6 assists (team-high), and 2 steals per game, backed by an efficient 50/42.3/84.2 shooting split. Collin Maclin added 13.7 points and 5.1 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. Ringo Deng provides all-around production with 9.8 points, a team-high 5.9 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game.
Eli Benning continues to be a stand-out freshmen for the Falcons, providing 4.0 assists per game and leading the team in steals per game (3.2 spg).
Offensively, the Falcons have been highly efficient through their first 9 games of the season, consistently ranking among the KCAC's top five in several major categories. Friends sits hird in points per game (83.6), field goals made per game (30.7), and field-goal percentage (47.8), while ranking second in three-pointers made per game (10.1) and fifth in three-point percentage (37.3). The Falcons also lead the conference in assists per game (19.6) and commit the fewest turnovers per contest at just 10.4.
Defensively, the Falcons rank fourth in the conference in steals, averaging 10.3 per game.
Scouting the Bluejays: The Bluejays come into the matchup 0-5 in KCAC play and 2-8 overall. Tabor is coming off a heartbreaking 67-68 loss to York, falling on a buzzer-beating three-pointer.
The Bluejays are led by Marque Wilkerson who provides 15.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.6 steals per game for Tabor. Niieihii Blackbear adds 14.1 points per game, along with 4.5 rebounds, 1.6 steals, and a block per game.
The Series: This will be the 48th meeting between the two programs. Friends won the most recent matchup, a 108–76 rout of the Bluejays in the Garvey Center during the 2024–25 season. Since the 2004-05 campaign, the Falcons hold a narrow 24–23 edge in the series, but trail 10–13 at home against Tabor.
Falcons Trending Up: 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. Friends recently slid from No. 18 to No. 21 in the most recent NAIA Coaches' Poll (Nov. 26) but enter this matchup on a 3-game winning streak.
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: 7-2
KCAC: 4-1
Home: 2-2
Road: 3-0
Neutral: 2-0
When scoring:
Under 50 points: 0-0
50-59 points: 0-0
60-69 points: 0-0
70-79 points: 4-1
80-89 points: 1-1
90+ points: 2-0
When allowing:
Under 50 points: 0-0
50-59 points: 1-0
60-69 points: 4-0
70-79 points: 2-0
80-89 points: 0-2
90+ points: 0-0
When leading at halftime: 5-1
When trailing at halftime: 2-1
When tied at halftime: 0-0
When committing fewer turnovers: 6-1
When committing more turnovers: 1-1
When turnovers are tied: 0-0
When leading in field-goal percentage: 5-0
When trailing in field-goal percentage: 2-2
When field-goal percentage is tied: 0-0
When leading in three-point percentage: 5-0
When trailing in three-point percentage: 2-2
When three-point percentage is tied: 0-0
When leading in rebounding: 4-0
When trailing in rebounding: 3-2
When rebounding is tied: 0-0
When leading in assists: 6-1
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).
Josh Roach is in his second season at Tabor College after four successful years at USAO, where he helped the program go 75–32, win SAC regular-season and tournament titles, and make two NAIA National Tournament appearances. He played a key role in developing two NAIA All-Americans, eleven All-SAC players, and the 2021 SAC Player of the Year.
His background includes college and high school coaching roles, plus three years as Director of Operations at a basketball academy. Roach is known for his mentorship-focused approach, using basketball to help young men grow on and off the court.
Up Next: The Falcons will travel to McPherson, KS to take on the McPherson Bulldogs. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. on Saturday (Dec. 13).
