WICHITA, Kan. — The No. 21 Friends University Falcons secured a thrilling 70–69 victory over the No. 17 Bethel College Threshers on Wednesday night (Dec. 3), with Collin Maclin delivering the decisive putback with 4.6 seconds to go in the game.
Friends and Bethel went back and forth throughout an up-tempo first half, with Bethel holding a narrow 40–37 edge at the break. The Falcons established early offensive rhythm, scoring 22 points in the paint and assisting on 9 of their 14 first-half field goals. Al Emerllahu and Cahlese Lee each tallied 10 first-half points, while Friends' defensive pressure generated 11 turnovers and 9 steals to keep the game tight.
To open the second half, Randy Woolf, Jr. provided an immediate spark with back-to-back baskets, briefly giving Friends the lead. The remainder of the half became a possession-by-possession battle, but the Falcons ultimately tightened up defensively, limiting Bethel to just 29 second-half points. Steady ball movement, timely shot-making, and key defensive stops pushed the Falcons past the Threshers.
Emerllahu led the Falcons with 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including three triples. Maclin added 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists, coming up clutch with two key free throws that pulled the Falcons within one in the final two minutes and later delivering a pivotal offensive rebound and putback to secure the win.
Lee finished with 13 points and 5 assists, knocking down three threes, while Woolf Jr. filled the stat sheet with 9 points, 6 assists, 3 steals, and 3 rebounds. Ringo Deng contributed another well-rounded effort with 7 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and a block.
Friends totaled 20 assists on 27 made field goals and turned Bethel's 17 turnovers into 15 points. Despite a strong outing from Bethel standout Carmelo Yakubu (19 points, 8 rebounds), the Falcons' ability to execute in the final moments proved to be the difference in the top-25 showdown.
The victory moves Friends to 6–2 overall and 3–1 in KCAC play. The Falcons return to action on Saturday (Dec. 6) with a road matchup at Kansas Wesleyan in Salina, KS. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.
