Kansas Wesleyan Men's Basketball had seven players reach double figures in scoring as the Coyotes held on late to beat the Tabor College Bluejays on Saturday night at Mabee Arena.
After a nip-and-tuck first half, a 15-4 run by the Coyotes midway through the second half made it a 10-point game at 77-66 with 7:36 left on a free throw by Brandon Avedon.
Tabor would make a run right back, scoring the next 11 points to tie things up at 77 with 5:07 left. A bucket by Avedon gave the Coyotes the lead again, as KWU built an 82-77 lead on a three-point play by Stefan Spray with 4:17 left.
More free throws by Spray gave KWU a six-point cushion with 3:13 to go, but Tabor made things interesting getting within two with 1:48 left but three Jayden Hall free throws down the stretch gave KWU a 91-87 lead.
Tabor got within a point when Jackson Baer was fouled on a 3-point try and hit all three free throws to make it a 91-90 game, but Avedon would hit free throws down the stretch to seal the win for the Coyotes.
The Bluejays led 4-0 to start the game and held the advantage by as many as five several times in the first half.
The Coyotes battled back using Jason Juiye's 3-pointer to take a 27-25 lead but Tabor came back and took the lead back. The teams traded the advantage back and forth several times as Tabor took a 50-48 lead into the half.
Gabe Phillips led the Coyotes with 15 points. Avedon and Hall had 14, Spray and Evens Appolon had 12 each and Matthew Garber and Goins had 10 each as KWU was 34 of 68 from the field for 50 percent. Appolon's 10 rebounds helped the Coyotes win the rebounding battle 41-28.