WICHITA, Kan. - The No. 16 Friends University Falcons survived an 86-82 overtime thriller against the Sterling College Warriors on Wednesday night (Feb. 11), extending their winning streak to four games in dramatic fashion.
Sterling shot well for much of the contest, finishing 45.8 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from three-point range, keeping steady pressure on the Falcons from start to finish.
From the opening tip, the battle was tight. The Warriors built a nine-point lead with under nine minutes remaining in the first half, but Friends battled back. The Falcons chipped away at the deficit and closed the half on a strong note, heading into the break trailing just 36-34.
Collin Maclin led the way in the opening half with 10 points, four assists, and two rebounds, while Devin Davis provided an immediate spark off the bench with 10 points to keep Friends within striking distance.
Friends came out strong out of halftime, quickly erasing the deficit and building an eight-point lead with 16 minutes remaining in regulation. Sterling, however, refused to go quietly, battling back to tie the game at 57-57 with less than eight minutes to play.
The closing moments of regulation turned into a back-and-forth showdown. With eight seconds remaining, Randy Woolf, Jr. knocked down a pair of free throws to give Friends a two-point advantage. Sterling guard Camren Johnson responded with a driving layup to tie the game at 71-71, sending the game into overtime.
In the extra period, the Falcons seized momentum early. A decisive 9-0 run pushed Friends ahead 80-71 with just over three minutes remaining. Yet again, Sterling mounted a response, trimming the deficit to four at 81-77 with under two minutes to go.
With less than 40 seconds left, Woolf Jr. delivered a clutch layup to extend the lead to 85-79. Johnson, who finished with a team-high 27 points for Sterling, drilled a three-pointer to pull the Warriors within one possession. An Owen Evans free throw restored a four-point cushion, and this time, Sterling could not close the gap as Friends secured the 86-82 overtime victory.
Woolf Jr. turned in a dominant performance, finishing with 28 points, 22 of which came in the second half and in overtime. He added six rebounds, four assists, two steals, and a block while shooting 10-of-14 from the field and a perfect 7-of-7 from the free-throw line.
Maclin followed with 20 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and a steal, finishing 8-of-8 from the free-throw line. Cahlese Lee contributed 12 points, five rebounds, two assists, and two steals, while Davis added 14 points off the bench. Evans chipped in seven points and pulled down a team-high seven rebounds to go with two assists and a steal.
As a team, Friends shot 50.9 percent from the field (29-of-57) and recorded 20 assists on 29 made baskets. The Falcons also controlled the interior, outscoring Sterling 40-24 in the paint and holding a 39-35 edge on the glass.
Although they connected on just 26.9 percent of their three-point attempts, Friends still knocked down seven triples and were perfect from the free-throw line in the second half, going 13-for-13, which proved crucial in securing the narrow victory.
With the victory, Friends improves to 15-4 in KCAC play and 20-5 overall, remaining tied for second in the conference standings. The Falcons will host the McPherson Bulldogs on Saturday (Feb. 14) in a pivotal matchup between teams currently tied for second in the KCAC, while also celebrating Senior Day. Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m. at the Garvey Center.
