The Lowdown: Friends University at Bethel College
* KCAC Postseason Tournament Quarterfinal
Location: North Newton, Kan.
When: Thursday, Feb. 27 @ 7:00 pm
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Flying with the Falcons: The Friends University Falcons were tripped up 65-62 vs. Bethany College in the regular season finale Saturday (Feb. 22) inside the Garvey Center. The Falcons are the fifth seed in the KCAC Tournament and are 17-11 overall and 15-7 in the KCAC. Read the full recap vs. Bethany HERE!
Lauryn McIver is tops on the Falcons and tied for fourth in the KCAC in scoring (16.0 ppg) while also leading the team in assists (3.0 apg). Taylor Jackson is averaging a double-double of 14.4 ppg along with leading the league in both rebounds (12.4 rpg) and blocks (2.3 bpg).
Abigail Barr (12.0 ppg) and Kori Babcock (10.4 ppg) are also averaging double-figure points, with Babcock leading the Falcons with 56 three-pointers and Barr ranking second on the team in rebounds (7.1 rpg) and second in the KCAC in field-goal percentage (56.3).
Scouting the Threshers: The fourth-seeded Bethel College Threshers are 16-12 overall and finished 15-7 in the KCAC. The Threshers have won three straight, including knocking off second-seeded Tabor College at home 60-57 on Feb. 19.
Kendall Locke has anchored the Threshers this season, pacing the team in points (16.6 ppg), rebounds (7.3 rpg) and assists (4.4 apg). Natalie Richards is scoring 15.0 ppg and Madyson McKinzie averages 12.8 ppg.
The Series: The Falcons and Threshers split the regular season series this year, with each team winning on their home floor. Friends is 33-12 vs. Bethel since the 2004-05 season, with a 15-7 record on the road during that stretch.
Quoting Head Coach Dean Jaderston:
"The playoffs are another level of intensity and fun. Every team raises their focus and level of play. Every possession is valuable. We have to maximize our possessions, rebound well, and contain Bethel's shooters. It will be a great game!"
Major Conference Recognition: For the second straight season, Taylor Jackson was honored as the KCAC's top defensive player and received second-team All-KCAC honors along with an All-Defensive Team selection. Lauryn McIver (All-KCAC first team) and Abigail Barr (All-KCAC honorable-mention) were also recognized. Click HERE for the full release!
Always defensive: Taylor Jackson is nearing the end of a truly historic career, particularly on the defensive end. The Houston, Texas native has collected 17 career KCAC Women's Basketball Defensive Player of the Week awards and is the Falcons' modern-era blocks leader with 352 career swats and is at it again this season, ranking first in the KCAC in both blocks (2.3 bpg) and rebounds (12.4 rpg). Click HERE for a feature story detailing Jackson's truly iconic career at Friends!
Scoring Frenzy: Tonight's quarterfinal matchup will feature two of the top five scorers in the KCAC in the Falcons' Lauryn McIver and the Threshers' Kendall Locke. Locke is second in the KCAC with 16.6 ppg and McIver is tied for fourth at 16.0 ppg.
Make or Miss League: The Falcons are 16-3 when outshooting the opposition but are 1-8 when the opponent holds a higher shooting percentage.
Boarding School: The Falcons have a record of 15-5 when leading in rebounding but have lost six of seven games when the opposition controls the boards. Friends also won the only game when the rebounds were even.
SCHEELS: We are proud to have Scheels as a sponsor of Friends University Athletics this season! Click HERE for more info on the Scheels store in Wichita.
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
Overall record: 17-11
KCAC: 15-7
Home: 10-4
Road: 6-7
Neutral: 1-0
When scoring:
Under 50 points: 1-2
50-59 points: 0-0
60-69 points: 4-7
70-79 points: 5-1
80-89 points: 7-1
90+ points: 0-0
When allowing:
Under 50 points: 3-0
50-59 points: 6-2
60-69 points: 4-3
70-79 points: 3-4
80-89 points: 1-2
90+ points: 0-0
When leading at halftime: 13-4
When trailing at halftime: 3-7
When tied at halftime: 1-0
When committing fewer turnovers: 3-3
When committing more turnovers: 13-5
When turnovers are even: 1-3
When leading in field-goal percentage: 16-3
When trailing in field-goal percentage: 1-8
When field-goal percentage is even: 0-0
When leading in three-point percentage: 10-1
When trailing in three-point percentage: 7-10
When leading in rebounding: 15-5
When trailing in rebounding: 1-6
When rebounding is even: 1-0
When leading in assists: 11-3
When trailing in assists: 5-7
When assists are even: 1-1
In OT: 1-0
The Coaches:
Dean Jaderston is in his sixth 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 a 62-31 record over the past three years, including a trip to the KCAC tournament championship game in 2023.
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 37 years and are active in youth and camping ministries. They currently serve as executive directors of a premier summer Christian family conference called Northern Pines of Minnesota. They have three married sons and eight grandchildren.
Rocky Lamar is in his second season as head coach of the Bethel College women's basketball program. Lamar has an overall record of 824-440 and is a member of the NAIA Hall of Fame.
Prior to arriving at Bethel, Lamar coached for 36 years at MidAmerica Nazarene University. At MNU, Lamar won 788 games and guided the Pioneers to seven NAIA Final Fours, including the 2007 national championship. He also led the team to 13 conference titles and 19 NAIA National Tournament appearances.
Lamar's coaching career began with stops in Iowa at Central City and Blakesburg.
He also played collegiately at MNU and still holds career records in free throw percentage and assists per game.
Up Next: With a win at Bethel tonight, the Falcons' postseason run would continue to the semifinal round against the winner of top-seeded Kansas Wesleyan University and eight-seeded University of Saint Mary on Saturday night (Mar. 1) at 7 pm. Should KWU win, the game would be in Salina, Kan. But if Saint Mary pulls off the upset, the Falcons would host inside the Garvey Center.
