[Women's Basketball] WBB Gameday Preview: Falcons Open KCAC Postseason Action Tonight at No. ...
The Lowdown: KCAC Tournament Quarterfinal: Friends University at No. 15 Sterling College
Location: Sterling, Kan.
When: Thursday, Feb. 21 @ 7 pm
Broadcast and Live Stats (PPV Broadcast): https://portal.stretchinternet.com/kcac/
Flying with the Falcons: The Friends University Falcons are the seventh seed in the KCAC Postseason Tournament and finished the regular season with a 12-17 record, with a 12-12 mark in the conference.
Laramie Edens (SR/Ada, Okla. ) is pacing the Falcons this season in points (15.3 ppg), rebounds (9.0 rpg) and blocks (2.5 bpg). She is tops in the KCAC and fifth in the NAIA in blocks per game, while ranking third in the league in scoring, rebounding and double-doubles (12).
Lexi Evans (SR/Austin, Texas) has hit a team-high 62 threes on the season and is second in the league in threes per game (2.3). She also has dished out a team-best 2.67 assists per game this season for the Falcons.
Khadijah Kelly (SO/Arlington, Texas) is averaging 2.66 assists for the Falcons and is second in the conference in steals (2.4 spg).
Aryanna Brown (JR/Garland, Texas) has also scored in double-figures this season for Friends with 10.4 ppg over her 15 outings.
As a team, the Falcons are tops in the KCAC in both steals per game (11.6) and blocks per game (3.9).
Scouting the Lady Warriors: The No. 15-ranked and second-seeded Sterling College Lady Warriors wrapped up the regular season at 25-4 overall and 20-4 in the KCAC.
Kylah Comley leads Sterling this season in points (16.4 ppg) and is first in the KCAC in assists per game (4.4 apg). She is also second on the team with 6.3 rebounds per game. Alexis Theus is second on the team in scoring (13.8 ppg), while Taya Wilson is averaging 13.0 ppg along with team-highs in rebounding (8.6 rpg), steals (2.2 spg) and blocks (1.5 bpg).
As a team, the Lady Warriors are fourth in the NAIA in free throw percentage (.776) and fifth in field-goal percentage (.464).
The Series: Even with the Lady Warriors winning both regular season meetings this year, the Falcons have won eight of the past 13 matchups overall. But Sterling has won the past two outings at home.
Conference Recognition: Laramie Edens was named a second-team All-KCAC and all-conference defensive team performer yesterday (Feb. 20), while Lexi Evans was a third-team team choice and Khadijah Kelly earned honorable-mention honors.
Partners in Crime: Khadijah Kelly and Lexi Evans have been two of the best in the KCAC in turning the opposition over, as both rank within the top three of the league in steals. Kelly is second with 2.4 steals per game, with Evans close behind in third at 2.2 thefts.
70 is a Serious Number: When the Falcons manage to score at least 70 points, they have a solid record of 7-2. In the games they fail to reach the 70 point mark, the Falcons are just 5-15. Conversely, when holding the opposition under 70 points, they are 11-4, but have lost 13 of the 14 times they allow at least 70 points.
Just Take Me Half the Way: The Falcons have been good at holding halftime leads this season, going 9-3 when taking the edge into the locker room. But they are just 2-14 when trailing heading into the break.
Falcons by the Numbers:
When scoring:
Under 50 points:
50-59 points: 0-9
60-69 points: 5-6
70-79 points: 7-1
80-89 points: 0-1
90+ points:
When allowing:
Under 50 points:
50-59 points: 5-1
60-69 points: 6-3
70-79 points: 1-7
80-89 points: 0-5
90+ points: 0-1
When leading at halftime: 9-3
When trailing at halftime: 2-14
When tied at halftime: 1-0
When winning the turnover battle: 9-9
When losing the turnover battle: 3-6
When turnovers are even: 0-2
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.
K.C. Bassett is in her fifth season as head coach of the Sterling College Lady Warriors. Before taking the reins of the program, Bassett served seven years as an assistant coach at Sterling. She was also a four-year starter for the Lady Warriors and finished her playing career as the program's all-time leader in assists.
Up Next: Should the Falcons knock off the second-seeded Lady Warriors, they would travel to the winner of third-seeded Kansas Wesleyan University and sixth-seeded Oklahoma Wesleyan University Saturday night (Feb. 23) at 7 pm.