LAWRENCE - Kansas Wesleyan Women's Basketball heads into Saturday's Kansas Conference opener on a three-game winning streak as the Coyotes defeated Haskell Indian Nations 66-56 on Wednesday night at the Coffin Complex.
The Coyotes jumped out to a big lead early, leading 14-2 on Izzy McCool's rebound and score with 4:38 left in the first quarter. The Coyotes led 16-4 before Haskell used a 12-0 run to tie things up at 16 with a minute left in the first.
KWU got the final five points of the quarter on a bucket by Keimara Mitchell and a 3-pointer from Anna Jueneman to lead 21-16.
Jadyn Mangan's 3-pointer with 7:49 left in the second pushed KWU's lead back out to 10 points at 26-16. Haskell again responded getting within two at 32-30 with 1:47 left before the half, but eight straight points from the Coyotes to end the half put the Coyotes up 40-30 at the intermission.
The Coyotes struggled shooting in the second half, connecting on only 6 of 27 shots for 22.2 percent, but played even with Haskell over the final 20 minutes to preserve the win.
KWU led by 12 twice in the third quarter, but did not let Haskell any closer than eight points in the quarter.
It took over three minutes of the fourth quarter before either team scored as Haskell was first on the board in the period. Katrina Schutz scored to put the Coyotes back up 10 with 6:14 left.
Wesleyan held onto the lead despite Haskell making things interesting down the stretch getting within four at 55-51 with three minutes left. Free throws by Odessa Ozuna pushed the lead back out to eight with 1:40 to go and Haskell never got closer than five the rest of the way, the last time with 35 seconds left.
KWU would hit five of six free throws down the stretch preserve the win.
Jueneman was again phenomenal for the Coyotes leading all scorers in the game with 24 points and grabbing seven rebounds. Ozuna added 11 points and five rebounds. KWU was 22 of 57 from the field for the game for 38.6 percent.