The Lowdown: No. 20 Friends University at Tabor College

Location: Hillsboro, Kan.        

When: Wednesday, Feb. 4 @ 6 pm

Broadcast

Live Stats

Flying with the Falcons: Following two victories that came down to the final second, the No. 20-ranked Friends University Falcons' third straight win came with a little more room to spare in a wire-to-wire 84-67 win over Avila last Saturday (Jan. 31).  The Falcons are now 19-3 overall and remain in second place in the KCAC with a 13-3 league record. Read the full recap of the victory over Avila that featured the best shooting percentage of the modern era HERE!

Rayland Garner leads the Falcons and is tied for second in the KCAC in scoring (18.6 ppg) while ranking fifth in the league in rebounding (7.7 rpg) and fourth in steals (2.4 spg). Lauryn McIver is averaging a solid stat line of 14.4 ppg and 6.3 rebounds with a team-high 5.6 assists that is second in the KCAC. Katie Weiss has hit a team-leading 55 threes with a solid 37.7 percent shooting clip from three-point distance. Abigail Barr is also scoring in double-figures at 14.2 ppg and is fourth in the conference in field-goal percentage (58.5).

The Falcons currently rank second in the KCAC in both points per game (77.6 ppg) and field-goal percentage (46.9) and are third in the league in field goal percentage defense (38.8).

Scouting the Bluejays: The Tabor College Bluejays are 10-12 overall and have won two straight to improve to 8-8 in the KCAC.

Tayton Smith leads the Bluejays in scoring (12.4 ppg) and is first in the KCAC in rebounding (10.0 rpg) and fourth in blocks (1.3 bpg). Lillie Veer is also scoring in double-figures with 11.8 ppg and Hailey Contreras is first on the team in assists (3.1 apg).

Tabor is the KCAC's top defensive team in points allowed (58.1 ppg) this season.

The Series: The Falcons won the first meeting this season at home 51-43 and have now won three straight in the series but are 22-24 against the Bluejays since 2004. Friends is also 10-11 vs. Tabor on the road during that stretch.

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.

Straight Shooters: The matchup between the Falcons and Bluejays will feature two of the KCAC's leaders in shooting, with Friends' Abigail Barr ranking fourth in the league in field-goal percentage (58.5) and Tabor's Tayton Smith right behind in fifth (56.0).

Something's Gotta Give: It'll be an intriguing clash of styles in the matchup between the Falcons and Bluejays, as Friends ranks second in the KCAC in points per game (77.6) in the league while Tabor is allowing the fewest points per game (58.1).

70 or Below: The Falcons are undefeated at 13-0 when holding the opposition under the 70-point mark this season.

Boarding School: The Falcons have won all 16 games when leading in rebounding but are 3-3 when trailing on the boards.

Make it Make Sense: It's Basketball 101 that it's hard to win when losing the turnover battle, but the Falcons have defied that logic all year.  Friends is a perfect 11-0 this season when committing more turnovers than the opposition.

Make or Miss League: The Falcons are 19-1 when leading in field-goal percentage but have lost both games that the opposition shoots a better percentage from the floor.

2 X 1000: Senior guard Lauryn McIver scored 16 points at Oklahoma Wesleyan (Jan. 10) to join teammate Rayland Garner as the ninth member of the modern era to reach 1,000 career points at Friends University. Garner reached the mark earlier this season, also against Oklahoma Wesleyan (Nov. 19). 

Falcons by the Numbers

Overall record: 19-3

KCAC: 13-3

Home: 9-2

Road: 10-1

Neutral: 0-0

When scoring:                                         

Under 50 points: 0-0

50-59 points: 1-1

60-69 points: 4-1

70-79 points: 2-0

80-89 points: 10-1

90+ points: 2-0

When allowing:

Under 50 points: 1-0

50-59 points: 2-0

60-69 points: 10-0

70-79 points: 4-2

80-89 points: 1-0

90+ points: 1-1 

When leading at halftime: 12-1

When trailing at halftime: 7-2

When tied at halftime: 0-0

When committing fewer turnovers: 5-2

When committing more turnovers: 11-0

When turnovers are even: 3-1

When leading in field-goal percentage: 19-1

When trailing in field-goal percentage: 0-2

When field-goal percentage is even: 0-0

When leading in three-point percentage: 10-1

When trailing in three-point percentage: 8-1

When three-point percentage is even: 1-1

When leading in rebounding: 16-0

When trailing in rebounding: 3-3

When rebounding is even: 0-0

When leading in assists: 13-0

When trailing in assists: 4-2

When assists are even: 2-1

In OT: 1-0

The Coaches:

Dean Jaderston is in his seventh season at the helm of the Friends University women's basketball program. The Falcon women's basketball program has seen considerable growth under his leadership both on and off the court. Their consistency and competitiveness have led to an 81-43 record over the past four years, including two trips to the KCAC championship game in the past three seasons.

Jaderston brought a wealth of experience to Friends University, having coached for over 30 years (24 years in college and 13 years in high school). On December 13, 2022, he recorded his 300th career collegiate win vs. Tabor College.

As a men's basketball coach Jaderston was a two-time KCAC Coach of the Year. He coached six NAIA All-America performers during his tenure at Sterling College. He also led his teams to two KCAC championships and one KCAC tournament championship.

Prior to taking over at Sterling, Jaderston served in the dual role of men's basketball head coach and assistant athletic director at Trinity International University in Deerfield, IL for five seasons.

Before entering the college ranks, he spent eight seasons as both the head girls' basketball and head girls' and boys' tennis coach at Rosemount High School in Rosemount, MN, and 4 years as the head boys' basketball coach at Eastview High School in Apple Valley, MN.

As an athlete Jaderston was a successful college basketball player at Crown College in St. Bonifacius, MN.  He was a four-time all-conference selection while helping the team advance to four national tournaments. He also earned All-America and Academic All-America during his college career. He also competed in tennis for three years at Crown and was a two-time conference singles and three-time conference doubles champion. In 2024 he was inducted into the Crown College Athletic Hall of Fame.

He earned his Bachelor of Arts in History/Secondary Education from Crown College in 1989 and then completed a Master of Arts in Adlerian Counseling and Psychotherapy from Adler Graduate School in 1998.

Jaderston and his wife Julie have been married for 38. They also currently serve as executive directors of a premier summer Christian family conference called Northern Pines of Minnesota. They have three married sons and nine grandchildren.

Shawn Reed is in his 15th season as head coach of the Tabor College Bluejays. A four-time KCAC Coach of the Year, Reed has guided Tabor to four KCAC regular-season titles, six league tournament championships, eight NAIA National Tournament appearances and eight 20-win seasons.  In 2023, Reed guided the Bluejays to the trifecta with KCAC regular season and tourney titles and an NAIA National Tournament berth. He entered this season with 292 career victories and is Tabor's all-time winningest head coach.

Up Next: The Falcons will play at Ottawa University on Saturday (Feb. 7) at 1 pm in Ottawa, Kan. before embarking on a three-game homestand.