The Lowdown: (RV) Friends University at Wichita State University
* Exhibition Game
Location: Charles Koch Arena – Wichita, Kan.
When: Wednesday, Nov. 11 @ 6:30 PM
Broadcast
Live Stats
Radio: Keyn 103.7 FM
Flying with the Falcons: The (RV) Friends University Falcons are now 2-3 on the season after splitting two games last weekend at the Northwestern/Pizza Ranch Classic in Orange City, Iowa. The Falcons defeated Dordt University 82-79 on Friday (Nov. 6) and then fell 86-75 at tourney host Northwestern College. Read the full recap vs Dordt HERE and vs. Northwestern HERE.
Isaac Jones leads the Falcons in scoring with 12.4 points per game, with Deshaun Lewis averaging 10.8 ppg and Eli Benning also scoring in double-figures at 10.0 ppg along with a conference-leading 7.4 assists per game. Jackson Swartz leads the Falcons with 6.2 rebounds and Brody Kreutzer is second in the league in three-point percentage (57.1).
Defensively, Owen Evans (2.4 spg) and Swartz (2.2 spg) are leading the Falcons in steals and Lewis has a team-high 1.6 blocks per game.
Scouting the Shockers: The Wichita State University Shockers are 1-1 on the season after defeating California State University, Northridge 79-67 and falling 93-86 in a back-and-forth game to No. 21/22 USC on Sunday night (Nov. 8) at the Caesars Lake Tahoe Classic in Stateline, Nev.
Through two games, William Berg leads the Shockers in scoring (21.5 ppg) and rebounding (13.5 rpg). Kenyon Giles is next in scoring with 14.5 ppg and Jordan Frison leads the team with 6.5 assists.
The Series: The Falcons also played the Shockers in exhibitions during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons, with WSU prevailing 95-65 in 23-24 and then 87-72 in 24-25. Prior to those exhibitions, Wichita State won the previous meeting 74-22 at home all the way back in 1943. Friends is 11-39 vs. WSU in 50 matchups dating back to 1906 and is 3-15 on the road.
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 and the railings at the football stadium plus other numerous projects. Click HERE to learn more of everything Reddi can provide for you!
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: 2-3
KCAC: 0-0
Home: 1-2
Road: 0-1
Neutral: 1-0
When scoring:
Under 50 points: 0-0
50-59 points: 0-0
60-69 points: 0-0
70-79 points: 0-2
80-89 points: 1-1
90+ points: 1-0
When allowing:
Under 50 points: 0-0
50-59 points: 0-0
60-69 points: 1-0
70-79 points: 1-0
80-89 points: 0-2
90+ points: 0-1
When leading at halftime: 1-0
When trailing at halftime: 1-3
When tied at halftime: 0-0
When committing fewer turnovers: 2-3
When committing more turnovers: 0-0
When turnovers are tied: 0-0
When leading in field-goal percentage: 1-0
When trailing in field-goal percentage: 1-3
When field-goal percentage is tied: 0-0
When leading in three-point percentage: 1-0
When trailing in three-point percentage: 1-3
When three-point percentage is tied: 0-0
When leading in rebounding: 2-0
When trailing in rebounding: 0-3
When rebounding is tied: 0-0
When leading in assists: 2-0
When trailing in assists: 0-1
When assists are tied: 0-2
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.
Paul Mills is in his fourth season as head coach of the Wichita State University Shockers. He has guided the Shockers to consecutive NIT appearances, including winning 24 games last year and finishing in a tie for second in the American Conference.
Mills came to WSU after a successful six-year tenure at Oral Roberts University, where he guided the Golden Eagles to a Sweet 16 appearance as a No. 15 seed in 2021 that included upsets of Ohio State and Florida. In 2022-23, Mills led ORU to an unbeaten Summit League season, finishing 21-0 in conference play and 30-5 overall. The Golden Eagles again qualified for the NCAA Tournament, this time as a No. 12 seed but were tripped up by the fifth-seeded Duke Blue Devils.
Prior to taking over the ORU program, Mills spent 14 seasons on head coach Scott Drew's staff at Baylor. There, Mills helped the Bears make seven NCAA Tournament appearances, highlighted by two Elite Eight appearances and four Sweet 16 berths.
Up Next: The Falcons will open up KCAC action Saturday night (Nov. 14) at home vs. Sterling College. Tip-off is set for 7 pm inside the Garvey Center.
