WICHITA, Kan. - The No. 14 Friends University Falcons delivered an all-around performance in their 105-84 victory over the Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes. Twelve different Falcons scored in the matchup, with the team shooting an efficient 54.1% from the field, 36.8% from the three-point line, and 84.6% from the free-throw line.
For the first several minutes, the game was a tight, back-and-forth battle. However, just after the 14-minute mark, the Falcons erupted on a 19–4 run to build a 34–17 lead with 10 minutes to go in the first half.
The Coyotes responded with a push of their own, trimming the deficit to single digits by the 8:30 mark. But, Friends quickly regained control, putting their foot back on the gas with a 9–0 run to stretch the lead to 43–25 with less than eight minutes left in the half. The Falcons carried that momentum into the break, heading into halftime with a commanding 57–39 lead.
Friends didn't let up in the second half, pushing their lead to as many as 29 points with under seven minutes to play. The Falcons stayed in command the rest of the way, maintaining full control down the stretch. Friends went on to defeat Kansas Wesleyan 105–84, securing their third straight victory.
Five Falcons finished the night scoring in double figures. Friends was led by Collin Maclin, who finished with 19 points to go along with two rebounds and two assists. Cahlese Lee added 14 points, two rebounds, two steals, and an assist. Randy Woolf, Jr. turned in a strong all-around performance, recording 12 points, six assists, six rebounds, and two steals. Al Emerllahu chipped in 10 points with three rebounds and an assist, while Ringo Deng contributed five points, four assists, three rebounds, and two steals.
Friends also received a major boost from its bench. Owen Evans delivered a career-high 16 points, adding five rebounds, an assist, and a steal. Eli Benning narrowly missed double figures with nine points while also dishing out five assists and recording three rebounds and three steals. Jackson Swartz contributed eight points and six rebounds. Altogether, the bench accounted for an impressive 45 points in the victory.
Friends delivered an efficient offensive performance, tying its season high with 25 assists on 40 made field goals. The Falcons were strong from beyond the arc, knocking down 14 three-pointers, while adding 42 points in the paint.
They controlled the offensive glass as well, grabbing 16 offensive rebounds that led to 27 second-chance points.
On the defensive end, Friends forced Kansas Wesleyan into 17 turnovers and turned those miscues into 24 points, while also coming away with 10 steals. The Falcons capped off the effort by winning the rebounding battle overall, outrebounding the Coyotes 38–27.
With the victory, Friends improved to 11–3 in KCAC play and 16–4 overall. The Falcons hit the road Wednesday (Jan. 28) for a matchup with the University of Saint Mary in Leavenworth, Kansas. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m.
