KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Avila scored with 3.6 seconds left in overtime, and Marcel Dean (SO/Tucson, Ariz.)'s heave from just inside half court was long as the Eagles escaped with a 64-63 win over the Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes on Monday night inside Avila's Mabee Fieldhouse.
The Coyotes were hampered by 24 turnovers, that turned into 23 points for Avila. KWU also struggled shooting from the field in the second half and overtime, going just 8 of 35 combined in the final 25 minutes for 22.8 percent after shooting 52 percent in the first half.
Avila scored first in overtime on a 3 by Eric Smith and the Eagles led throughout the extra session, but no more than three points, the last time coming with just under two minutes left. Jun Murdock (SO/Wichita, Kan.) scored to get the Coyotes within a point with 1:19 left and Alex Littlejohn (FR/Newton, Kan.)'s free throws with 25.2 left gave Wesleyan the lead 63-62.
Avila would hit the game winner by Smith on a stick back, the Eagles' only offensive rebound of the night which would turn into the game-winner.
With the score tied 10-10 with 14:48 left in the first, Easton Hunter (FR/Colwich, Kan.) scored to spark a 10-0 Coyote run that made it 20-10 on Littlejohn's bucket with 11:41 to go in the first. Back came Avila, getting within a point quickly with 9:03 left but neither team could score over the next two-plus minutes until Smith gave Avila a 21-20 lead with 6:56 left.
Cory Kaplan (SO/Merritt Island, Fla.) gave the lead back to the Coyotes and the advantage went back and forth the rest of the half when Kaplan hit a 3 just before the half to give KWU a 31-29 lead at intermission.
Avila built a 36-32 lead to start the second half, but the Coyotes came back to tie it at 36 only to see the Eagles go on a 14-4 run to take a 50-40 lead with 11:03 left in regulation time.
The Coyotes chipped away at the Avila lead getting within three on Dean's triple with 8:37 to go. An answer three by Avila put the Eagles up six before the Coyotes pressed again. Four straight free throws by AJ Range (SR/Junction City, Kan.) and Jun Murdock got the Coyotes within two at 53-51 with 5:33 left.
With Avila leading 55-51, Tyus Jeffries (SR/Oklahoma City, Okla.) hit a three for the Coyotes with 2:07 left getting the Coyotes within a point.
Neither team scored down the stretch until Range hit 1 of 2 free throws with 12 seconds left to tie it at 55-all.
Murdock led all scorers in the game with 20 points, while Kaplan added 14 and Range had another double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Littlejohn helped the Coyotes dominate the rebounding battle 53-27 by pulling down 15 boards.
The Coyotes do not play again in 2021, but will open the 2022 portion of the schedule on New Year's Day at Dakota State in Madison, S.D., before Kansas Conference play resumes January 5 inside Mabee Arena against rival Bethany.