During several preseason interviews first-year Kansas Wesleyan men's basketball coach Jordan Murdock repeatedly talked about the lofty expectations he has for Caiden Punt and Wyatt Powell.
Both were at Division II programs last season before coming to KWU - Punt at Central Oklahoma and Powell at Missouri Western. Punt played well in KWU's first four games but Powell was sidelined with an injury.
Monday night they were on the floor together for the first time this season and quickly validated Murdock's optimism. Punt scored 30 points and Powell had 11 off the bench as the Coyotes surprised MidAmerica Nazarene 77-76 inside Mabee Arena.
KWU improved to 2-3 while MNU fell to 4-2.
Punt, a 6-foot-7 forward, was 10 of 19 shooting that included 6 of 12 beyond the 3-point arc. He also grabbed five rebounds. Powell, a 6-4 guard/forward, was 4 of 7 shooting and had five rebounds and three assists.
"Honestly, I've been on (Punt) about shot selection because he's able to hit some shots," Murdock said. "But I feel like in our early games he's kind of forcing a little bit, not letting the game come to him. Tonight, I felt like he was in rhythm a lot of times and then he got hot and started making some incredible shots."
Powell, who got approval from the doctor to play earlier Monday, played 25 minutes with no apparent ill effects.
"He didn't play last year but he redshirted on a really good basketball club," Murdock said. "We knew he was going to be able to come out and help us. I was just ecstatic when I heard he was cleared today."
Gabe Phillips also had a big game with 14 points, 10 rebounds and more stellar work on the defensive end. Freshman point guard Brandon Avedon logged another strong outing with nine assists to go along with six points and four rebounds.
The Coyotes needed all of it and more against an MNU team that defeated Morningside on Saturday and was picked third in the Heart of America coaches' preseason poll.
KWU trailed 27-19 midway through the first half but took charge with a 20-2 run and led 39-29 with 4:45 left in the half. The Coyotes were up 44-37 at the break.
An 8-0 Pioneers burst tied the game at 51 with just under 13 minutes left and they led by three twice 61-58 and 63-60. A 5-0 burst gave KWU the lead for good.
Powell's free throw with 54.8 seconds left put Wesleyan up 77-71 but five straight points from Uriah Boutte cut the lead to 77-76. The Coyotes missed the front end of a one-and-one opportunity with 4.6 seconds left but MNU turned the ball over in the forecourt just before time expired.
"I'm proud of our guys," Murdock said. "I'm proud of the way they played, I'm proud of the way they stepped up tonight. I've been talking about how young we are, and tonight was huge for us."
Murdock said his team, comprised of mostly transfers and freshmen, is coming together.
"We're figuring each other out, we're just learning so much about each other," he said. "I challenged them the other day in our film session. I said 'guys, do you talk outside of anything that we do? You've got to be able to tell me something special about your teammate' so that was something that we focused on.
"We've got to get to know each other, we've got to figure out how to talk to each other on and off the court and we're doing that."
KWU shot 52 percent (28 of 54) including 8 of 24 from 3-point range and outscored MNU 38-28 in the paint. The Pioneers shot 43 percent (29 of 68), were 10 of 24 from deep and won the rebounding battle 34-32.
Boutte finished with a team-best 16 points while Malachi Bryant and Mikai Blakeney each had 15 for MNU.