WICHITA, Kan. – It took five extra minutes, but the No. 21-ranked and third-seeded Friends University Falcons fell 54-42 to the seventh-seeded Tabor College Bluejays in the KCAC semifinal round today (Feb. 28) inside the Garvey Center. The Bluejays will now play top-seeded Evangel University in the tournament championship game Monday night (Mar. 2) in Springfield, Mo.
The Falcons had to rally late in regulation to force the overtime period, scoring the final six points during the final 2:42 to tie the score at 40-40. Abigail Barr scored to make it a four-point game and Lauryn McIver hit two free throws and then got free for a bucket with 49 seconds left.
Friends then got a defensive stop and had a chance to win it but failed to score on the final possession of regulation.
Once in the extra session, the Bluejays scored the first 14 points behind seven points from Anna Lambert to put it away.
The game was a defensive slugfest from the outset, with the Falcons leading by a count of 8-7 after the first quarter. Friends would then hold Tabor scoreless until the 3:05 mark of the second period to gain some separation. Consecutive scores from Barr to end the half helped the Falcons build a 21-12 lead at the break.
The Bluejays quickly got back in it with the first seven points of the third period to claw within two. They eventually climbed ahead by a point before another score from Barr put the Falcons back in front 31-30 heading to the fourth.
Tabor scored the first four points to open the fourth and led throughout the final period until the Falcons' late push.
Barr led the Falcons with 17 points and eight rebounds, with McIver adding 12 points, three assists and two blocks. Jadyn Glasgow also had three assists for the Falcons.
Lillie Veer and Adrian Hazelwood each had 12 points for Tabor. Lambert finished with 11 points and Tayton Smith led everyone with a game-high 22 rebounds.
Friends was outrebounded 54-30 overall and 18-6 on the offensive glass but did manage a 24-18 edge in points in the paint.
The Falcons, now 24-6 on the season, remain in good shape for an at-large berth to the NAIA National Championship Tournament, with the selection show set for Thursday (Mar. 5) at 7 pm on the NAIA YouTube channel.
