[Women's Basketball] WBB Gameday Preview: Falcons Square Off with Ottawa Tonight
The Lowdown: Ottawa University at Friends University
Location: Garvey Center
When: Wednesday, Jan. 16 @ 6 pm
Broadcast: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/friends/
Flying with the Falcons: The Friends University Falcons are now 9-10 overall and 9-5 in the KCAC following a gritty, 66-61 victory over the University of Saint Mary Spires last Saturday (Jan. 12).
The Falcons were led by the trio of Laramie Edens (SR/Ada, Okla. ), Lexi Evans (SR/Austin, Texas) and Khadijah Kelly (SO/Arlington, Texas). Edens scored 17 and had a team-high six rebounds, while Evans also had 17 points and hit 5-of-13 from three-point distance. Kelly scored 16 and dished out a team-best five assists.
The 9-5 league record has the Falcons in a tie for fourth place in the KCAC.
Edens is pacing the Falcons in points (14.6 ppg), rebounds (9.0 rpg) and blocks (3.1 bpg). She is tops in the both the KCAC and the NAIA in blocks per game, while ranking third in the league in rebounds and second in double-doubles (eight).
Lexi Evans has hit a team-high 41 threes on the season, good for second in the KCAC. She also leads the Falcons with 2.47 assists per game.
Kelly leads the Falcons and is tied for fourth in the league in steals (2.26 spg).
Aryanna Brown (JR/Garland, Texas) is also scoring in double-figures this season for Friends with 11.1 ppg
As a team, the Falcons are tops in the KCAC in steals per game (11.68), while also ranking first in the conference and fifth in the NAIA in blocks per game (4.53).
Scouting the Braves: The Ottawa University Braves are 7-11 overall and 7-7 in the KCAC after winning 80-70 at home vs. Southwestern College Monday night (Jan. 14).
The Braves are paced this season by Jordann Nachbar and Mariah Grizzle. Nachbar leads the Braves in both scoring (10.1 ppg) and rebounding (7.5 rpg), while Grizzle is second in both categories (9.3 ppg), 6.8 rpg). Katlyn Hughes and Kelsey Hendricks each lead Ottawa with 1.8 assists per game.
The Series: The Falcons bested the Braves 67-58 in a thrilling overtime game earlier this season and have now won nine of the last 12 meetings overall. Friends has also won five of the last six matchups vs. Ottawa in Wichita.
70 is a Serious Number: When the Falcons manage to score at least 70 points, they have a solid record of 6-2. In the games that they fail to reach the 70 point mark, the Falcons are just 3-8. Conversely, when holding the opposition under 70 points, they are 8-2, but have lost eight of the nine times they allow at least 70 points.
Just Take Me Half the Way: The Falcons have been good at holding halftime leads this season, winning all six times they take the edge into the locker room. But they are just 2-10 when trailing heading into the break.
Falcons by the Numbers:
When scoring:
Under 50 points:
50-59 points: 0-5
60-69 points: 3-3
70-79 points: 6-1
80-89 points: 0-1
90+ points:
When allowing:
Under 50 points:
50-59 points: 4-1
60-69 points: 4-1
70-79 points: 1-3
80-89 points: 0-4
90+ points: 0-1
When leading at halftime: 6-0
When trailing at halftime: 2-10
When tied at halftime: 1-0
When winning the turnover battle: 6-8
When losing the turnover battle: 3-2
In OT: 1-0
The Coaches:
Heather Howard is in her first season as head coach of the Friends University women's basketball program.
Howard comes to Friends from Northwest Missouri State University (NWMSU), where she served as the interim head coach in March of this past season following a two-year stint as assistant coach for the NCAA D-II program in Maryville, Mo.
As the assistant coach at NWMSU, Howard handled the duties of recruiting, scouting and player development.
Howard's run at Northwest was preceded by a two-year tenure as assistant at Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa.
While at Cornell, Howard was in charge of recruiting and player development along with serving as the strength and conditioning coordinator. She coached a four-time first-team all-conference and second-team all-region player while recruiting the 2017 Conference Newcomer of the Year.
Howard began her coaching career at the same spot she wrapped her playing career, at Missouri Western State University (MWSU) in St. Joseph, Mo.
She was both a graduate assistant coach and compliance graduate assistant at MWSU in the 2013-14 season.
Her one season on the hardwood at MWSU was impactful, as she averaged 13.1 points per game along with 9.1 rebounds per game for the Griffons in the 2012-13 campaign.
Howard started her collegiate career at Oklahoma State University, earning three varsity letters and helping the Cowgirls capture the 2011-12 WNIT championship.
She was also successful in the classroom at OSU, picking up a pair of Academic All-Big 12 first-team honors.
Howard completed her Bachelor of Science in Sports Management from OSU in 2012 before earning a Master of Science degree in Sports Fitness and Management at MWSU in 2014.
Bruce Tate is in his 12th season as head coach of the Ottawa University Braves. In the 2016-17 campaign, Tate guided the Braves to 18 wins, their most since the 2006-07 season. Prior to taking over as head coach of the program, Tate served nine seasons at Ottawa as an assistant coach.
Up Next: The Falcons will travel to Bartlesville, Okla. to play at Oklahoma Wesleyan University Saturday evening (Jan. 19) at 5 pm.