OTTAWA, Kan. - The mission heading into Saturday's game for the Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes was simple - Win and You're In.
The Coyotes did just that.
KWU beat the Ottawa Braves 75-68 on Saturday at Wilson Field House to secure the final spot in the KCAC Playoffs which start on Wednesday.
Wesleyan trailed by four points several times in the first quarter, but came back to tie things up at 15 all on Jocelyn Hall's bucket with two minutes left in the period. Ottawa tied it, but the Coyotes would get the final three points of the quarter, all from Anna Jueneman to take a 21-18 lead after a quarter.
Ottawa would take a lead at the half as the Braves would grab a late lead in the quarter and take a 42-27 lead before Hall would score to cut the difference to three at the intermission.
The Braves would lead by as many as seven in the third quarter, but the Coyotes would not give in. Wesleyan would go on a 7-0 run to tie things up at 54 with 1:47 left in the third on free throws by Hall.
Odessa Ozuna hit a 3-pointer for the Coyotes to give KWU a brief 57-56 lead, but Ottawa would take a one-point lead into the fourth at 58-57.
Hall tied it with 8:04 left and Emma Gertken hit two of three free throws to give the Coyotes a 61-59 lead. Another bucket by Hall with six minutes left gave the Coyotes a 65-59 lead.
Ottawa got within a point with 2:06 left at 69-68, but Ozuna's score with 40 seconds left put the Coyotes up 71-68. Four free throws by Izzy McCool down the stretch pushed the Coyotes over the finish line for the win.
Hall had one of her best games in a KWU uniform leading the way with 23 points while pulling down eight rebounds and recording four blocks. McCool had 20 and Ozuna again flirted with a triple-double with 14 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
The Coyotes were 28 of 51 shooting for 54.9 percent for the game.
Wesleyan will be the No. 8 seed in the KCAC Tournament and will head to top seeded Evangel on Wednesday.