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Mar 04, 2024

KWU MBB faces Oklahoma Wesleyan in KCAC Championship Monday on KINA

Posted Mar 04, 2024 1:59 PM

The second-seeded Coyotes play top-seeded and No. 4-ranked Oklahoma Wesleyan in the championship of the Kansas Conference Tournament on Monday.

MONDAY'S GAME
Opponent: Oklahoma Wesleyan Eagles
Time: 8 p.m.
Location: Hartman Arena, Park City

LIVE COVERAGE

  1. The video stream of the game will be available online through the Coyote Sports Network at www.kcacnetwork.com/kansaswesleyan.
  2. Live Stats will be available at https://kwucoyotes.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary
  3. Radio coverage will be on the Coyote Radio Network. The online stream is available at 910KINA.com. Tyler Henry and Brooks Garretson will have the call with pregame starting at 7:30 p.m. The game will also be broadcast on ESPN Wichita, 92.3-FM with Pat Strathman on the call.

TICKETS

  1. Tickets for the KCAC tournament are on sale now at kcacsports.com --> GET TICKETS HERE
  2. This is a no pass event, per KCAC policy
  3. All tickets must be purchased online, there will be no on-site ticket sales.

RECORDS

  1. Kansas Wesleyan 23-7
  2. Oklahoma Wesleyan 28-2

THE SERIES

  1. Oklahoma Wesleyan has won 10 in a row and 14 of the last 15. The Eagles won 82-66 January 20 in Mabee Arena in their only game this season. The Coyotes last victory was 78-64 February 22, 2020 in Mabee Arena. OKWU leads the series 18-6 since November 2005.

KANSAS WESLEYAN AT A GLANCE

  1. The Coyotes advanced to the championship game with a harrowing 76-71 victory over third-seeded Southwestern on Saturday night in Mabee Arena. The Moundbuilders led the entire game until the 26.5 second mark when Jun Murdock made two free throws that gave the Coyotes a 72-71 lead. KWU trailed 71-64 with 3½ minutes left but held SC scoreless the rest of the way, closing the game on a 12-0 run themselves.
  2. Alex Littlejohn and Murdock were stellar as usual, Littlejohn finishing with 29 points and 16 rebounds while Murdock had 21 points and seven assists. Murdock also limited Southwestern's Cevin Clark to 18 points - Clark led the NAIA in scoring entering the game with a 26.5 average but was 7 for 17 shooting for the game and scored two points the second half.
  3. Littlejohn had 91 points and 43 rebounds in the Coyotes' three victories over Southwestern this season. He entered Saturday's game ranked fifth in rebounding in the NAIA with an 11.3 average. He's also averages 17.3 points while Murdock averages 18.0 points and 4.9 assists.
  4. Murdock scored 16 and had Littlejohn 15 and 10 rebounds in the first game against OKWU. Izaiah Hale score 14 but the Coyotes shot just 34.4 percent and were outrebounded 49-39.
  5. KWU has won six in a row and eight of nine including tournament victories over Ottawa in the quarterfinals and Southwestern.
  6. Monday's championship will be the first for Wesleyan since the tournament moved to Hartman Arena. KWU's conference tournament championship game was in 2009 and the last conference tournament title in 2007 when they defeated Friends in Muir Gymnasium.

OKLAHOMA WESLEYAN AT A GLANCE

  1. The Eagles rallied past Saint Mary 90-74 in their semifinal Saturday night in Bartlesville, Okla. USM led 44-40 at halftime but OKWU won the second half 50-30 by shooting 56.7 percent and limiting the Spires to 32 percent after they shot 65.4 percent the first half.
  2. Jaden Lietzke, OKWU's All-America center, led the way with 26 points and 10 rebounds while Kaleb Stokes had 16 points and eight rebounds and guard Dylan Phillip 14 points.
  3. The Eagles won the rebounding battle 35-24 and are outrebounding their opponents by 10.2 per game. They also average just over 14 offensive rebounds.
  4. Lietzke had 23 points and 16 rebounds in the victory over KWU in January. He averages 17 points and eight rebounds while point guard DJ Talton Jr. averages 14.7 points and 5.3 assists and Stokes 10.1 points and 6.7 rebounds.
  5. The Eagles' two losses this season were to Southwestern on December 2 in Bartlesville and Evangel on February 24 in Springfield, Mo.
  6. OKWU averages 78 points and allows 64.5. The Eagles are shooting 46 percent overall, 29.6 percent from beyond the 3-point line. They struggle collectively at the free throw line, just 58.6 percent.
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