The Lowdown: Kansas Wesleyan University at No. 23 Friends University
Location: Garvey Center
When: Monday, Jan. 26 @ 6 pm
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Flying with the Falcons: The No. 23-ranked Friends University Falcons dropped their second straight game with a 72-59 setback at Bethel College last Wednesday (Jan. 21) in North Newton, Kan. The Falcons are now 16-3 overall and are in a three-way tie for second place in the KCAC with a 10-3 league record. Read the full recap at Bethel HERE.
Rayland Garner leads the KCAC in scoring (19.4 ppg) while ranking fifth in the league in rebounding (8.0 rpg) and fourth in steals (2.6 spg). Lauryn McIver is averaging a solid stat line of 14.3 ppg and 6.3 rebounds with a team-high 5.4 assists that is third in the KCAC. Katie Weiss has hit a team-leading 51 threes on a solid 38.6 percent shooting clip from three-point distance, while Abigail Barr is scoring in double-figures at 14.1 ppg and is fourth in the conference in field-goal percentage (58.2).
The Falcons currently rank second in the KCAC in points per game (76.6 ppg), field-goal percentage (46.3) and field goal percentage defense (38.1).
Scouting the Coyotes: The Kansas Wesleyan University Coyotes have also lost two straight games and are 9-10 overall and 6-7 in the KCAC.
Odessa Ozuna is first on the Coyotes in both scoring (13.6 ppg) and assists (5.0 apg). Izzy McCool is second with 11.6 ppg and Raegann McDonald is tops on the team in rebounding (6.1 rpg).
The Series: The Falcons snuck by with a 64-62 victory at Kansas Wesleyan in the first matchup this season and are now 26-21 vs. the Coyotes since 2004, including a 13-11 mark in Wichita during that stretch. The Coyotes won both regular season meetings last year, but the Falcons were victorious when it mattered most, also by a 64-62 count in the KCAC semifinals to clinch a berth in the conference championship game. The two teams have split the last 10 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.
Sharing is Caring: The matchup between the Falcons and Coyotes will feature two of the top four distributors in the KCAC, with Friends' Lauryn McIver ranking third in the league in assists (5.4 apg) and KWU's Odessa Ozuna right behind in fourth (5.0 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).
Boarding School: The Falcons are a perfect 14-0 when leading in rebounding but are 2-3 when trailing on the boards.
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: After Wednesday's loss at Bethel, Friends is now 16-1 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: 16-3
KCAC: 10-3
Home: 7-2
Road: 9-1
Neutral: 0-0
When scoring:
Under 50 points: 0-0
50-59 points: 1-1
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: 3-2
80-89 points: 0-0
90+ points: 1-1
When leading at halftime: 11-1
When trailing at halftime: 5-2
When tied at halftime: 0-0
When committing fewer turnovers: 4-2
When committing more turnovers: 10-0
When turnovers are even: 2-1
When leading in field-goal percentage: 16-1
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: 7-1
When three-point percentage is even: 0-1
When leading in rebounding: 14-0
When trailing in rebounding: 2-3
When rebounding is even: 0-0
When leading in assists: 12-0
When trailing in assists: 2-2
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.
Harper Taylor is in her first season as head coach of the Kansas Wesleyan University women's basketball program.
Taylor is familiar with the Coyotes after a two-year tenure as assistant coach from 2021-23.
Prior to coming back to KWU, Taylor was an assistant coach at Metro State University Denver.
She was also a graduate assistant coach at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and played collegiately three seasons at Hastings College.
Up Next: The Falcons will play a pivotal KCAC game at the University of Saint Mary Wednesday evening (Jan. 28) at 6 pm in Leavenworth, Kan.
