STERLING, Kan. — The No. 14 Friends University Falcons used a late second-half surge to secure a 75–58 road victory over the Sterling College Warriors on Wednesday night (Jan. 7).
After the seven-minute mark of the second half, Friends seized full control, pouring in 15 unanswered points to extend its lead from seven to 21. The decisive run was punctuated by Randy Woolf, Jr.'s four-point play with 4:05 remaining. The Falcons pushed their advantage to as many as 23 points before closing out the 17-point road win.
Randy Woolf, Jr. led all scorers with 20 points, including three three-pointers, while shooting a perfect 7-for-7 from the free-throw line. He also contributed four rebounds, two assists, a steal, and a block, playing a key role in the Falcons' balanced effort.
The Falcons feature three additional double figure scorers. Collin Maclin provided 12 points, 10 of which came in the 2nd half, knocking down two threes and recording four rebounds, two blocks, and a steal. Cahlese Lee finished with 10 points and two rebounds, while Eli Benning provided a spark off the bench with 10 points, three rebounds, two assists, a steal, and a block.
Ringo Deng had another all-around performance with nine points, five rebounds, four assists, and three steals.
Friends shot 44.6% from the field and 39.1% from beyond the arc, hitting nine three-pointers. The Falcons also converted 16 of 24 free throws (66.7%), outscoring Sterling 16–6 from the line. Friends added 30 points in the paint and assisted on 12 of their 25 made field goals.
Defensively, the Falcons were equally impressive, recording eight steals, four blocks, and forcing 13 turnovers that led to 17 points. They also held the Warriors to just 36.7% shooting from the field.
With the victory, Friends improves to 13–2 overall and 8–1 in KCAC play, extending their win streak to nine in a row. The Falcons remain on the road, traveling to Bartlesville, Okla., on Saturday (Jan. 10) to face the No. 6 Oklahoma Wesleyan Eagles in a battle for sole possession of first place in the KCAC. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.
