The Lowdown: Haskell Indian Nations University at (RV) Friends University
John Brown University at (RV) Friends University
Location: Garvey Center
When: Friday, Oct. 30 @ 7 pm vs. Haskell; Saturday, Oct. 31 @ 1 pm vs. John Brown
Broadcast
Live Stats vs. Haskell
Live Stats vs. John Brown
Flying with the Falcons: The (RV) Friends University Falcons fell in their season opener 90-84 to Baker University on Tuesday night (Oct. 27) inside the Garvey Center. The Falcons cut a 16-point halftime deficit down to six, but the Wildcats held on for the six-point win. Read the full recap of the season-opening game vs. Baker HERE.
Eli Benning led the Falcons with 23 points and seven assists, with Deshaun Lewis and Owen Evans each contributing 15 points.
Scouting Haskell Indian Nations: Haskell Indian Nations University is 0-2 on the season, dropping both games at Baker University and at Benedictine College.
Parker Baumann and Zi White Woman are pacing Haskell this season, with Baumann tops on the team in points (23.5 ppg) and tied for the lead in assists (2.5 apg), and Woman scoring 14.5 ppg and leading in rebounding (8.0 rpg). Preston Olney has also recorded 2.5 assists through two games for Haskell.
Scouting John Brown: The John Brown University Golden Eagles opened the season with a big 107-58 win over Ecclesia College on Oct. 24. Fred Rogers III led JBU with 17 points off the bench, with Jack Ullom registering a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds. Raziel Taylor had a team-high four assists in the win for the Golden Eagles.
The Series: The Falcons have won three of four games vs. Haskell on record, including winning 73-61 on the road in the last meeting during the 2024-25 season. Friends has also won both games in Wichita, 103-99 in the 2023-24 campaign and 74-69 in the 2019-20 season.
This will be the first meeting on record between the Falcons and Golden Eagles.
Reddi Industries: We are proud to have Reddi Industries as a top sponsor of Friends University Athletics this season! Reddi facilitated the renovation of the Garvey Center floor, the backstop at Westside Athletic Field and the railings at the football stadium plus numerous other projects. Click HERE to learn more of everything Reddi can provide for you!
Jack Kater Classic: This weekend's games with Haskell Indian Nations University and John Brown University is part of the Jack Kater Classic, honoring the late, great Friends University Hall of Famer Jack Kater. Kater oversaw a level of dominance within the Falcon Men's Basketball program, guiding the team to back-to-back KCAC championships during the years of 1969-70 and 1970-71 and then two more titles in the 1974-75 and 1976-77 campaigns.
His success spanned beyond the hardwood, as Kater led the Friends University men's golf team to three consecutive conference titles from 1977-79 while also coaching track, football and softball.
The Falcon home basketball court was officially renamed Jack Kater Court on June 12, 2021, as part of a special ceremony honoring the legendary coach.
Additionally, fellow KCAC member Ottawa University will also play John Brown Friday at 5 pm and then Haskell Saturday at 1 pm as part of the classic.
KCAC Preseason Info: The Falcons were picked tied for seventh in the KCAC Preseason Coaches' poll. Click HERE for the complete poll.
Falcons by the Numbers
Overall record: 0-1
KCAC: 0-0
Home: 0-1
Road: 0-0
Neutral: 0-0
When scoring:
Under 50 points: 0-0
50-59 points: 0-0
60-69 points: 0-0
70-79 points: 0-0
80-89 points: 0-1
90+ points: 0-0
When allowing:
Under 50 points: 0-0
50-59 points: 0-0
60-69 points: 0-0
70-79 points: 0-0
80-89 points: 0-0
90+ points: 0-1
When leading at halftime: 0-0
When trailing at halftime: 0-1
When tied at halftime: 0-0
When committing fewer turnovers: 0-1
When committing more turnovers: 0-0
When turnovers are tied: 0-0
When leading in field-goal percentage: 0-0
When trailing in field-goal percentage: 0-1
When field-goal percentage is tied: 0-0
When leading in three-point percentage: 0-0
When trailing in three-point percentage: 0-1
When three-point percentage is tied: 0-0
When leading in rebounding: 0-0
When trailing in rebounding: 0-1
When rebounding is tied: 0-0
When leading in assists: 0-0
When trailing in assists: 0-1
When assists are tied: 0-0
In OT: 0-0
The Coaches:
Nick Jones is in his first year as the men's basketball head coach at Friends University.
A Wichita native, Jones returns home following a three-year stint as assistant coach for the NCAA D-II Washburn Ichabods, a MIAA program in Topeka, Kan.
This past season, Jones helped the Ichabods become one of the best teams in D-II, finishing with a record of 31-2 that included MIAA regular season and tournament championships along with a berth in the NCAA Central Regional quarterfinal round.
The previous year saw the Ichabods advance even further in the postseason, winning the NCAA Central Regional title and making it to the national semifinals before finishing with a 30-4 mark.
Overall in Jones' three years on staff, the Ichabods were 80-17.
Prior to arriving at Washburn, Jones spent eight seasons at Wichita State University, including serving as Director of Player Development during his final four seasons. He also had roles as WSU's Video Coordinator (2017-19) and Graduate Manager (2015-17).
The WSU Shockers posted a record of 175-79 during Jones' time on staff and earned a berth to the NCAA Tournament four times (2016, 2017, 2018, 2021) while advancing to the semifinals of the NIT Tourney in 2019.
Jones' coaching career began in earnest with a role as the University of Hawaii's video coordinator graduate assistant during the 2014-15 season after serving as a student manager for Kansas State University from 2009-14 under head coaches Frank Martin and Bruce Weber.
He is a graduate of nearby Goddard High School and received his bachelor's degree in business management from Kansas State University in 2014 before earning a master's degree in sports management from Wichita State University in 2016.
Matthew Downing has served as the head coach of the Haskell Indian Nations University men's basketball program since 2015. Downing has amassed over 20 years of coaching experience during his career.
Collegiately, Downing played for the University of Maryland, College Park from 1988-92.
Jason Beschta is in his 12th season as head coach of the John Brown University Golden Eagles. In the 2019-20 season, Beschta guided the Golden Eagles to a program record 28 wins and the team's second straight NAIA National Championship appearance. The previous season, Beschta led JBU to its first 20-win season since 2013-14 along with the program's first appearance in the NAIA National Championship Tournament in five seasons.
Before arriving at John Brown, Beschta served as the head coach at Oklahoma Wesleyan University from 2011-14, where he was named the MCAC Coach of the Year and led the Eagles to an appearance in the 2014 NAIA Division II National Championship Tournament.
He also has assistant coaching stops at Cedarville (Ohio), Bryan (Tenn.), Minnesota State University at Moorhead and has served as a graduate assistant coach at Baylor University.
Beschta played collegiately at Bryan and ended his career second in program history in points (2,138) and three-pointers (432). He was also a three-time all-conference selection and earned a pair of NAIA All-America Honorable Mention honors.
Up Next: The Falcons will compete at the Northwestern Classic next week, starting with Dordt University on Friday (Nov. 6) and then Northwestern College Saturday (Nov. 7). Both games are slated to tip off at 4 pm.
