Kansas Wesleyan's run in the Kansas Conference Women's Championship came to an abrupt and gut-wrenching halt Saturday night.
Rayland Garner's basket at the buzzer lifted Friends to a 64-62 victory over top-seeded KWU in a semifinal game before a large and loud crowd inside Mabee Arena. Her shot under the goal were the last two points of the Falcons' game-ending 11-0 run over the final 4:22.
There is a silver lining though. KWU (23-7) will play in the Opening Round of NAIA Women's Championship that begins March 14 by virtue of winning the conference's regular season title. The Coyotes will learn their destination and opponent when the field is announced at 6 p.m. Thursday.
Fifth-seeded Friends (19-11) plays sixth-seeded Sterling for the KCAC championship Tuesday in Wichita.
Jocelyn Hall's free throw with 4:03 left in the game gave Wesleyan a 62-53 lead but Friends dialed up the defensive pressure. The Falcons scored nine consecutive points and tied it at 62 on a Taylor Jackson free throw with 46.6 seconds remaining.
Wesleyan committed a turnover on its next possession. Friends missed a shot at the other end and KWU grabbed the rebound, but the ball was knocked loose. Falcons coach Dean Jaderston was granted a time out during the scrum for the ball signaling Friends had gained possession with 5.2 seconds remaining. Garner's game-winner followed the time out.
"We had way too many turnovers (16), we were standing on offense," KWU coach Ryan Showman said on the postgame radio show. "Can't have that at any point but especially with the lead late in the game."
Friends scored 19 points off KWU's mistakes while the Coyotes got four points off seven Falcons turnovers.
"Friends played well, they made plays at the end," Showman said. "I thought we did a lot to put ourselves in position to win but just didn't get it done."
It was a seesaw battle from the get-go with 10 ties and seven lead changes. KWU led 15-8 at the start but Friends answered with a 11-0 run and led 19-15. The Coyotes closed the quarter on a 6-2 spurt and the game was tied at 21 entering the second period.
The Falcons took a 37-31 lead into intermission after a 10-4 run in the final 4:50 of the half. Down 39-33 early in the third quarter KWU surged into the lead 44-42 with 1:44 left in the period. The game was tied 47-47 entering the final 10 minutes.
The Coyotes began the fourth quarter with a 14-4 run and led 61-51 after a Jocelyn Hall basket with 4:31 left. Hall's free throw 28 seconds later was the final point though. KWU turned the ball over on each of its last five possessions.
"(The NAIA tournament) is something to fall back on, we'll get ready for that during the week but this one hurts right now," Showman said.
KWU shot 44.4 percent (24 of 54) and was led by Hampton Williams and Jill Stephens who scored 13 apiece; Angel Lee added 12. Williams also had four assists and grabbed 14 rebounds. The Coyotes outrebounded Friends 38-29 in the game.