KWU Athletics
LINDSBORG – Cory Kaplan now has a keen understanding why Kansas Wesleyan and Bethany are arch rivals and have been for most a century.
Kaplan, transfer from McCook Community College, scored four points in 18 minutes in the Coyotes' 80-73 Kansas Conference loss to Bethany January 5 in Mabee Arena. For him it was just another game.
Things came into crystal clear focus, though, Saturday night during the second encounter with the Swedes and he responded in impressive fashion. Kaplan scored 24 points, grabbed eight rebounds and had two steals and two assists in leading KWU to a 78-71 before a raucous crowd inside Hahn Gymnasium.
"Today definitely showed me that it's a big rivalry," Kaplan said. "It was real intense, real loud, real fun."
Kaplan was impressed with the large and loud contingent of KWU students in attendance.
"That makes it so much more fun," he said. "Just gives you even more energy and the other guys you're playing with. It's like another person on the court for us."
The Coyotes improved to 19-8 overall and climbed into fifth place in the conference standings at 14-8.
Kaplan's big night came close to getting short circuited early on due to a couple of defensive lapses. Bethany led 17-8 with just under 15 minutes left in the first half but he managed to stay on the court by doing what he does best – making shots.
Kaplan scored five consecutive points during an 11-0 run that gave KWU a 19-17 lead and he finished the half with 12 as the Coyotes led 40-39 at the break.
"He wasn't very good on defense and in fact we were real close to taking him out of the game," KWU coach Anthony Monson said. "But then he knocked down a couple of shots and all of a sudden, things picked up and he did a great job for us."
The game remained close until midway through the second half. Trailing 55-53 with 10½ minutes left the Coyotes took control with 15-1 burst that gave them a 68-56 lead with seven minutes remaining. Bethany (18-11, 14-9 KCAC) got no closer than five (76-71) with 1:13 left.
Kaplan made 10 of his 17 shots, including 4 of 7 from long range.
"We need Cory's scoring, that's what he's here for," Monson said. "He is such a difference maker."
Kaplan struggled for a long period earlier after falling ill but is back to full strength.
"Coming back from being sick those first couple of games I definitely struggled," he said. "I definitely felt better, a hundred percent out there today."
Wesleyan also got a boost from Jake Potthoff, who came off the bench and scored a career-best 11 on 3 of 3 shooting. He and other reserves were pressed into early duty when starters AJ Range, Easton Hunter and Jun Murdock encountered first half foul trouble. Alex Littlejohn added eight points and eight rebounds and Marcel Dean scored eight as KWU's reserves outscored Bethany's reserves 27-8.
"Jake was dynamite all night long," Monson said. "You've got to give a lot of credit to our bench tonight, they came up huge."
Murdock was the lone starter in double figures, scoring 14 on 5 of 7 shooting along with three assists.
Monson said a pregame video session – a replay of Bethany's victory in January – paid dividends, although the spectators didn't enjoy it much.
"We watched that film again this morning and it was an intense film session. It was not the nice film session," he said. "They outplayed us, they out-physicaled us, they wanted it more than us, played with more energy than us – they did everything you don't want a team to do. We needed our guys to realize what they were getting into."
The Coyotes close out the regular season with two games next week. No. 24-ranked Bethel comes to Mabee Arena for an 8 p.m. game Wednesday and they finish with a road contest against Friends at 7 p.m. next Saturday in Wichita. KWU lost to both earlier this season – Bethel 78-67 in North Newton and Friends 94-82 in Mabee Arena.
"We've got to take it one game at a time," Monson said. "We dropped a bunch of games that I feel like we shouldn't have dropped. This is five of the last six we've won and hopefully we can get two more next week.
"I don't know if anybody wants to play us. We were 12-1 at one point and we're the same team and we're starting to get healthy and find our rhythm again."