The Lowdown: Sterling College at No. 16 Friends University
Location: Wichita, Kan. | Garvey Center
When: Wednesday, Feb. 11 @ 8:00 PM
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Flying with the Falcons: The No. 16 Friends University Falcons enter Wednesday's matchup against the Sterling College Warriors with a 14-4 record in KCAC play and a 19-5 record overall. The Falcons are tied for 2nd in the KCAC with the McPherson Bulldogs. Friends is coming off a 96-84 win at Ottawa University on Saturday (Feb. 7). The Falcons will now take on the Warriors in the Garvey Center for their second matchup of the season.
Cahlese Lee is the leading scorer for the Falcons, averaging 16.1 points and 4.3 rebounds per game, while shooting 48.1 percent from the field and 36.8 percent from three-point range.
Lee recently moved into the top 10 in career three-pointers after knocking down five three-pointers in their matchup at Saint Mary (Jan. 28). He sits at 137 three-pointers for his career.
Collin Maclin is second on the team in scoring at 14.7 points per game while adding 5.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists. He's shooting an efficient 54.1 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from three-point range.
Maclin is coming off a career performance where he dropped 35 points at Ottawa (Feb. 7) a career-high and eclipse the 1,000 career points mark. Maclin's play in the Falcons' wins over Tabor and Ottawa last week earned him KCAC Men's Basketball Offensive Player of the Week! HERE
Randy Woolf, Jr. provides an all-around presence for the Falcons, averaging 13.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. Woolf Jr. has been highly efficient shooting 50.7 percent from the field, 47.2 percent from the three-point line (1st in KCAC), and 88.9 percent from the free-throw line (3rd in KCAC).
Ringo Deng is a versatile contributor for the Falcons, averaging 10.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game, while shooting 52.3 percent from the field and 34.6 percent from the three-point line.
Freshman Eli Benning has been key for the Falcons, averaging 7.6 points and 3.9 assists per game while leading the Falcons in steals, and sitting fourth in the KCAC at 2.3 per contest.
Built on Efficiency: As a team, Friends has been one of the most efficient offensive teams in the KCAC. The Falcons rank first in the conference in scoring (85.8 points per game), second in field goals made per game (31.3), and third in field-goal percentage (48.8).
From beyond the arc, Friends ranks first in the KCAC in three-point makes per game (10.4) and second in three-point percentage (37.5). Friends features one of the conference's most efficient three-point shooters in Randy Woolf, Jr., who ranks first in the KCAC in three-point percentage at 47.2 percent. Cahlese Lee adds another major perimeter threat, ranking second in the KCAC with 67 three-pointers made this season and second at 2.8 made threes per game.
Winning the Possession Game: Friends' offensive success is fueled by elite ball movement and execution. The Falcons average 19.3 assists per game, ranking first in the KCAC and are tied for fourth nationally in the NAIA, highlighting their ability to score efficiently while sharing the basketball. The Falcons also take care of the basketball, committing the fewest turnovers in the KCAC at just 10.3 per game.
Randy Woolf, Jr. (3rd), Eli Benning (5th), and Ringo Deng (T-7th) all rank among the top 10 in the conference in assists per game.
Scouting the Warriors: The Sterling College Warriors enter Wednesday's matchup with a 4-14 record in KCAC play and a 7-17 record overall. The Warriors are coming off a close 80-70 loss to No. 5 Oklahoma Wesleyan on Saturday (Feb. 7).
The Warriors are led by Julian Smith who is averaging 16.6 points per game and 5.9 rebounds per game. The Warriors features an additional double figure scorer in Ziri Blackwood (11.4). Chris Drake is the leading rebounder for Sterling averaging 8.5 per game, which is good for second-most in the KCAC.
The Series: Wednesday's matchup marks the 46th meeting between the two programs. Friends leads the all-time series, 29–16 and claimed the most recent matchup earlier this season with a 75–58 road victory over Sterling.
The Falcons also hold a strong advantage in the Garvey, owning a 15–6 edge in home games against the Warriors. The last meeting at the Garvey during the 2024–25 season resulted in an 86–79 win for Friends.
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.
Setting the Tone: A strong first half has been key for Friends, who are 16–2 when holding the halftime lead, they're only two losses coming against No. 5-ranked Oklahoma Wesleyan.
Winning the Possession Battle: Friends posts a 18–3 record when leading in assists, and a 16-3 record when committing fewer turnovers suggesting that offensive efficiency and ball movement are key drivers of the Falcons' success.
Efficiency Translates: Friends are 16-0 when leading in field-goal percentage, highlighting the importance of offensive efficiency in their success.
Buckets on Buckets on More Buckets: Cahlese Lee, Ringo Deng, Randy Woolf, Jr., Devin Davis, and Collin Maclin have each surpassed the 1,000-point career milestone this season.
Lee reached the mark earlier in the year during the Falcons' win over Baker. Deng joined the 1,000-point club in the Falcons' victory against Kansas Wesleyan, followed by Woolf Jr., who achieved the milestone in the win over McPherson. Davis eclipsed 1,000 career points in the Falcons' victory at Sterling. Most recently, Maclin officially joined the 1,000-point club after surpassing the milestone in the Falcons' win at Ottawa on Saturday (Feb. 7).
Falcons by the Numbers (2025-26)
Overall record: 19-5
KCAC: 14-4
Home: 8-2
Road: 9-3
Neutral: 2-0
When scoring:
Under 50 points: 0-0
50-59 points: 0-0
60-69 points: 0-0
70-79 points: 5-4
80-89 points: 5-1
90+ points: 9-0
When allowing:
Under 50 points: 0-0
50-59 points: 2-0
60-69 points: 6-0
70-79 points: 7-3
80-89 points: 4-2
90+ points: 0-0
When leading at halftime: 16-2
When trailing at halftime: 2-3
When tied at halftime: 1-0
When committing fewer turnovers: 16-3
When committing more turnovers: 3-2
When turnovers are tied: 0-0
When leading in field-goal percentage: 16-0
When trailing in field-goal percentage: 3-5
When field-goal percentage is tied: 0-0
When leading in three-point percentage: 15-3
When trailing in three-point percentage: 3-2
When three-point percentage is tied: 1-0
When leading in rebounding: 13-1
When trailing in rebounding: 5-4
When rebounding is tied: 1-0
When leading in assists: 18-3
When trailing in assists: 1-2
When assists are tied: 0-0
In OT: 1-0
The Coaches:
Phil McClintock is in his third season as head coach of the Friends University men's basketball program and has already transformed the Falcons into a national contender. Last season was the true breakout, as McClintock guided the Falcons to their most wins (24) in six years, the program's first NAIA National Tournament victory since 2013-14 and a second-place finish in the KCAC that saw the program fighting for the top spot until the final day of the regular season.
McClintock brought a stark familiarity of the KCAC to Friends, highlighted by an eight-year tenure as Associate Men's Basketball Head Coach at Ottawa University.
At Ottawa, McClintock served as the recruiting coordinator and was responsible for film breakdown and scouting reports.
2019-20 was a breakout season, as McClintock brought in six of the team's top 10 players that produced a school-record 28 victories, a regular season KCAC championship and an NAIA Sweet 16 appearance (tournament ended early due to COVID-19).
In addition to his basketball coaching experience at Ottawa, McClintock has also been the Braves Men's and Women's Golf head coach for the past four seasons.
McClintock's first basketball head coaching position came at Salem High School, where he spent three seasons and guided the team in the 2014-15 campaign to their first winning record in eight years.
A strong developer of young players, McClintock has served as a Camp Coach at the KU Bill Self Basketball Camps every year since 2012. His responsibilities at the camp include running drills, coaching teams and developing player skills.
His first career coaching job was a two-year tenure as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at William Woods University from 2010-12.
McClintock also played collegiately at Ottawa and enjoyed immense success, earning two NAIA All-America honors, a pair of All-KCAC nods while finishing his career as the all-time leader in blocked shots and top five all-time in scoring, rebounding and steals.
An Ottawa University Hall of Fame inductee in 2021, he helped the Braves to two conference titles and a pair of NAIA Sweet 16 berths.
A 2009 graduate of Ottawa University in Physical Education and Health, McClintock then earned his Master of Education in Athletics/Activities Administration from William Woods University in 2012.
McClintock and his wife Kirsten have three boys, Lawson (15), Jackson (11), and Bodie (three).
Randy Stange arrived at Sterling in the spring of 2021 and quickly made an impact on the program.
In his first season as head coach, Stange transformed a team that had won just two games the previous year into a 17–17 squad — a remarkable 15-game improvement. The turnaround season culminated in an appearance at the NCCAA National Tournament.
Along the way, the team recorded two NAIA Top 25 upsets, including a statement victory over No. 12 Kansas Wesleyan University at home early in KCAC Conference Tournament play.
Up Next: Friends will continue its three-game home slate on Saturday (Feb. 14) as the Falcons host the McPherson College Bulldogs. Sole possession of second place in the KCAC could be on the line, as the two teams enter the matchup currently tied in the conference standings.
The Falcons will also celebrate Senior Night following the women's game. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.
