Tabor Sweeps KWU, Season Ends for Men

Mike Hammett - Sat 09:24 PM 02/16/2013

Five Coyotes scored in double figures, but it wasn't enough as a desperation rally fell short against Tabor, 81-77 in the women's game.

In typical fashion at Mabee Arena, the Coyotes sprinted out to a quick lead, going on a 16-2 run to lead 16-4 with 12:02 to go in the half. Tabor made its move, scoring 15 of the next 20 points to pull within two at 21-19 with 6:54 to play before the break on free throws by Nikki Lewis.

Kansas Wesleyan would respond, using an 11-4 spurt to rebuild a nine point lead at 32-23 on Christian Cassity's bucket with 2:43 to go in the half.

Tabor countered with another punch, closing the half on an 11-1 run, capped on Katlyn Mary's running hook shot on the right baseline in the final seconds for the 34-33 halftime lead.

In the second half, the two teams would trade leads throughout. Tabor scored the opening points of the half, but the Coyotes quickly reeled off eight straight to take a 41-36 lead on a three-point play by Alecia Smith.

Tabor answered with seven straight before the Coyotes tied the game at 43. The two would continue to stay close until Tabor took the final lead change on a three by Mary with 11:09 to play to put Tabor up 54-52.

The Bluejays built a nine-point lead at 68-59, and led by eight with 45 seconds left before the Coyotes made a charge. Wesleyan would get two threes from Jessica Olson in the final moments, pulling the Coyotes within one at 78-77 with 12 seconds left.

After two Tabor free throws, the Coyotes had a chance to tie, but a two-point shot missed in the waning seconds as Tabor held on for the win.

Vanessa Kresin and Alecia Smith each scored 16, while Olson had 14, Cassity 12 and McKenna Britton 11.

Nikki Lewis had a game-high 26 for Tabor, while Mary added 22.

Kansas Wesleyan is the No. 4 seed in next week's KCAC Tournament and hosts Sterling. The Coyotes are 16-12 overall and 11-7 in the KCAC. Tabor finishes the regular season 19-9 and 15-3 in the KCAC.

Kansas Wesleyan had one more rally in them, but it comes up just short as the season ends with an 84-79 loss to Tabor in the men's game.

The game started great for the Coyotes, as Wesleyan sprinted out to a 13-3 lead on back-to-back threes by Dane Brinker and Dylan Hidalgo.

Tabor stepped up at that point, going on a 25-3 run, which included a 19-0 spurt to take a 28-16 lead with 6:37 to go in the half. Weselyan was outscored 40-16 in the final 14 minutes of the first half and trailed 43-29 at halftime.

It was more of the same early in the second half, as Tabor built as much as a 25-point lead at 66-41 with 10:26 to play before Kansas Wesleyan began a monumental rally.

The Coyotes methodically chipped away at the lead cutting it to 20 at 68-48 with 9:22 to go on a bucket by Garret Pasold. Wesleyan then made it 10 for the final time on a bucket by Canon Fields with 3:37 to go to make it 74-64.

The Coyotes would close to within three at 80-77 on a three by Brock Borovetz with 18 seconds left, but Tabor hit its free throws down the stretch to seal the win.

Canon Fields leads the Coyotes with 27 points, 25 coming in the second half. Borovetz added 18. Brent Jackson led all scorers with 30 points for Tabor, while Ryan Chippeaux added 14 and Nick Sauer 10.

Tabor advances to the KCAC Tournament, winners of seven straight games at 15-12 and 14-4 in the KCAC. Kansas Wesleyan misses the conference tournament for the third straight season, and ends the year at 8-20, 5-13 in the KCAC.