KWU Sports Information
PHOENIX – Kansas Wesleyan didn't have any problems in its first game in the Valley of the Sun.
The Coyotes held Southwestern Assemblies of God University American Indian College to 18 percent shooting and forced 34 turnovers in a 76-27 non-conference victory Saturday.
KWU improved to 7-6 while SAGU fell to 1-14.
LaMyah Ricks (JR/Shawnee Mission, Kan.) led the Coyotes' offense with 15 points on 6 of 8 shooting that included three 3-pointers. Caila Hill (SR/Rossville, Kan.) was 6 for 6 from the field and scored 14 while Angel Roman (SO/Jacksonville, Fla.) had 13 off the bench and was 6 of 6 from the free throw line. Freshmen Madison Lambert (FR/Wichita, Kan.) and Adriana DiPrima (FR/Omaha, Neb.) each scored seven and six others also scored. The KWU outscored SAGU 38-14 in the paint.
Hill and Tylieea Wallace (SO/Overland Park, Kan.) grabbed seven rebounds apiece as the Coyotes won the rebounding battle 43-30. They also had 22 steals in the game led by Roman five and Hill with four.
Each of the 14 Coyotes in uniform played at least five minutes.
Wesleyan scored the game's first nine points and led 13-4 after one quarter – Ricks scoring seven.
The Coyotes opened the second quarter with another 9-0 run and after four SAGU points – the Warriors' only points of the period – KWU rattled off 16 unanswered points and took a 40-8 lead into the locker room at halftime. SAGU didn't score the final 4:27 of the half.
A 5-0 spurt to close the third period gave Wesleyan a 56-16 lead going into the final 10 minutes. The lead grew to as many as 51 points, 71-20, with 5:18 remaining in the game.
KWU shot 41.5 percent (27 of 65), was 8 of 32 from beyond the 3-point arc and 14 of 16 at the foul line but also had 19 turnovers.
Ilyssa Galindo and Mackenzie Barker led SAGU with 13 points each but the Warriors, who suited five players for the game, were forced to play the final 1:10 with four after Barker fouled out. Barker also led SAGU with 10 rebounds.
The Coyotes play Park Gilbert at 3 p.m. Central time Monday in Gilbert, Arizona on Monday in the second game of their trip. Park Gilbert (2-6) lost at home to Benedictine Mesa 85-74 Saturday and has dropped its last six games. The Buccaneers defeated SAGU 99-63 Nov. 2 in their season opener.
The contest will the Coyotes' last before a 15-day holiday break. They return to action against Kansas Conference opponent Tabor at 6 p.m. Jan. 4 in Hillsboro.