The Lowdown: (RV) Friends University at Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Location: Bartlesville, Okla.
When: Saturday, Jan. 10 @ 3 pm
Broadcast
Live Stats
Flying with the Falcons: The (RV) Friends University Falcons won for the 10th straight time and secured their best 15-game start to a season in the modern era with a dominating 84-72 victory at Sterling College Wednesday evening (Jan. 7). The win moves the Falcons into sole possession of second place in the KCAC with an 8-1 league record with a 14-1 overall mark. Read all about the Falcons' statement win at Sterling HERE!
Rayland Garner reached 1,000 career points earlier this season and leads the KCAC in scoring (20.1 ppg) while ranking fifth in the league in rebounding (8.0 rpg) and tops on the team in steals (2.6 spg). Abigail Barr is second on the Falcons in scoring (15.1 ppg) and is tied for third in the league in field-goal percentage (59.6) along with 6.1 rebounds per game. Lauryn McIver is averaging a solid stat line of 14.1 ppg and team-highs of 6.4 rebounds and 4.9 assists that is third in the KCAC. Katie Weiss has hit a team-leading 38 threes on a solid 38.0 percent shooting clip from three-point distance.
The Falcons currently rank second in the KCAC in both points per game (78.3 ppg) and field-goal percentage (46.6) and is tied for second in field goal percentage defense (37.9).
Scouting the Eagles: The Oklahoma Wesleyan University Eagles enter Saturday's contest with a 5-10 overall record and a 1-8 mark in the KCAC.
Gracie Alexander leads the Eagles in scoring (13.2 ppg) and Khassidy Warr is next with 10.8 ppg and is first on the team in rebounding (6.7 rpg). Taliyah Harris leads OKWU with 2.9 assists per game on the season.
The Series: The Falcons won the first meeting this season at home 65-59 and have now won six straight in the series. The Falcons are 22-11 overall vs. the Eagles since 2008, with a 9-7 mark on the road during that stretch.
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.
Countdown to another 1,000: Senior guard Lauryn McIver is just 16 points away from joining teammate Rayland Garner in the 1,000 career points club. Garner became the eighth member of the modern era to join the exclusive group earlier this season against Oklahoma Wesleyan (Nov. 19).
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 9-0 this season when committing more turnovers than the opposition.
Make or Miss League: The Falcons have won all 14 games when leading in field-goal percentage but lost 95-88 to Evangel in the only game they've been outshot this season.
Falcons by the Numbers
Overall record: 14-1
KCAC: 8-1
Home: 7-1
Road: 7-0
Neutral: 0-0
When scoring:
Under 50 points: 0-0
50-59 points: 1-0
60-69 points: 3-0
70-79 points: 2-0
80-89 points: 6-1
90+ points: 2-0
When allowing:
Under 50 points: 1-0
50-59 points: 2-0
60-69 points: 7-0
70-79 points: 3-0
80-89 points: 0-0
90+ points: 1-1
When leading at halftime: 10-0
When trailing at halftime: 4-1
When tied at halftime: 0-0
When committing fewer turnovers: 3-0
When committing more turnovers: 9-0
When turnovers are even: 2-1
When leading in field-goal percentage: 14-0
When trailing in field-goal percentage: 0-1
When field-goal percentage is even: 0-0
When leading in three-point percentage: 9-1
When trailing in three-point percentage: 5-0
When leading in rebounding: 12-0
When trailing in rebounding: 2-1
When rebounding is even: 0-0
When leading in assists: 11-0
When trailing in assists: 2-1
When assists are even: 1-0
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.
Heidi Messer is in her fourth season as head coach of the Oklahoma Wesleyan University women's basketball program.
Messer came to OKWU after a five-year stint as assistant coach and strength and conditioning coach at Northeastern Oklahoma State University. Before joining NSU, Messer was also an assistant coach at Manchester University from 2012-14 following a two-year appointment as a graduate assistant coach at Georgetown College (Ky.). In her final season at Georgetown, Messer helped the team advance to the NAIA Fab Four.
Up Next: The Falcons will conclude their three-game road trip next Wednesday (Jan. 14) at Southwestern College. Tip-off will be at 6 pm in Winfield, Kan.
