The Lowdown: No. 23 Friends University at Bethel College

Location: North Newton, Kan.      

When: Wednesday, Jan. 21 @ 6 pm

Broadcast

Live Stats

Flying with the Falcons: The No. 23-ranked Friends University Falcons saw their 12-game winning streak snapped in a 76-67 setback to the Bethany College Swedes last Saturday (Jan. 17). The Falcons are now 16-2 overall and are tied for second place in the KCAC with a 10-2 league record. Read the full recap vs. Bethany HERE.

Rayland Garner leads the KCAC in scoring (20.0 ppg) while ranking fifth in the league in rebounding (7.9 rpg) and tied for fourth in steals (2.6 spg). Lauryn McIver is averaging a solid stat line of 14.2 ppg and 6.5 rebounds with a team-high 5.4 assists that is third in the KCAC. Weiss has hit a team-leading 49 threes on a solid 38.9 percent shooting clip from three-point distance, while Abigail Barr is scoring in double-figures at 14.2 ppg and is third in the conference in field-goal percentage (58.7).

The Falcons currently rank second in the KCAC in points per game (77.6 ppg), field-goal percentage (46.5) and field goal percentage defense (38.2).

Scouting the Threshers: The Bethel College Threshers have won consecutive games at the buzzer to improve to 11-7 overall and 8-4 in the KCAC.

Kendall Locke was the author of both of those buzzer-beating wins for the Threshers and is tops on the team and second in the KCAC in scoring with 19.7 ppg. Locke is also first in the league in assists (6.6 apg) and is averaging 6.4 rebounds per game. Madyson McKenzie is second on the Threshers with 14.4 ppg, while Karlee Locke is right behind at 14.2 ppg and is averaging a team-leading 7.4 rebounds.

The Series: The Falcons are 35-12 against the Threshers since 2005 after winning 70-65 at home in the first meeting this year. Friends also won two of three meetings last year, including 68-66 on the road in the KCAC quarterfinal round and are 16-7 overall in North Newton, Kan. since the 05 season.  

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.

Two Way Players: The matchup between the Falcons and Threshers will feature the top two scorers and two of the top five leaders in steals within the KCAC.  Friends' Rayland Garner is first in scoring with 20.0 ppg, followed by Bethel's Kendall Locke at 19.7 ppg. On the defensive side, Locke is second in steals (3.4 spg) and Garner is tied for fourth (2.6 spg).

Share and Share Alike: In addition to her scoring output, the Threshers' Kendall Locke is also leading the KCAC in assists per game (6.6 apg), with the Falcons' Lauren McIver close behind in third (5.4 apg).

2 X 1000: Senior guard Lauryn McIver scored 16 points recently at Oklahoma Wesleyan (Jan. 10) to join teammate Rayland Garner as the ninth member of the modern era to reach 1,000 career points at Friends University. Garner reached the mark earlier this season, also against Oklahoma Wesleyan (Nov. 19). 

Cleaning the Glass: The Falcons have outrebounded the opposition in 14 of 18 games this season, with a perfect 14-0 record in those outings. Friends has also won two of four games in the rare occurrences that the opposition leads in rebounding.

Make it Make Sense: It's Basketball 101 that it's hard to win when losing the turnover battle, but the Falcons have defied that logic all year.  Friends is a perfect 10-0 this season when committing more turnovers than the opposition.

Make or Miss League: The Falcons have won all 16 games when leading in field-goal percentage but lost to Evangel and Bethany in the only games they've been outshot this season.

Falcons by the Numbers

Overall record: 16-2

KCAC: 10-2

Home: 7-2

Road: 9-0

Neutral: 0-0

When scoring:                                         

Under 50 points: 0-0

50-59 points: 1-0

60-69 points: 4-1

70-79 points: 2-0

80-89 points: 7-1

90+ points: 2-0

When allowing:

Under 50 points: 1-0

50-59 points: 2-0

60-69 points: 9-0

70-79 points: 3-1

80-89 points: 0-0

90+ points: 1-1 

When leading at halftime: 11-1

When trailing at halftime: 5-1

When tied at halftime: 0-0

When committing fewer turnovers: 4-1

When committing more turnovers: 10-0

When turnovers are even: 2-1

When leading in field-goal percentage: 16-0

When trailing in field-goal percentage: 0-2

When field-goal percentage is even: 0-0

When leading in three-point percentage: 9-1

When trailing in three-point percentage: 7-0

When three-point percentage is even: 0-1

When leading in rebounding: 14-0

When trailing in rebounding: 2-2

When rebounding is even: 0-0

When leading in assists: 12-0

When trailing in assists: 2-1

When assists are even: 2-1

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.

Jara Shoemaker is in her first season as head coach of the Bethel College women's basketball program. Shoemaker was named head coach after serving as an assistant coach for the Threshers last season.

Prior to Bethel, Shoemaker was an assistant girls' basketball coach at Life Prep Academy in Wichita and was later named the Athletic Director.

Shoemaker played collegiately at Barton Community College for two seasons.

Up Next: The Falcons host Kansas Wesleyan University Saturday afternoon (Jan. 24) at 3 pm inside the Garvey Center. (The game vs. KWU could get moved due to a potential winter storm this weekend, stay tuned to all friends athletics social media channels for further updates).