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Ottawa won its second straight game, fourth in five contests, with a 60-45 win over Friends University Wednesday night at Wilson Field House. OU shot 42.1% from the floor, 36.4% from behind the three-point line, and 61.5% from the free throw line. Cierra Brown led OU in scoring with 16 points. Nicole Brown earned her ninth double-double. She scored 13 points and pulled down 13 rebounds. Janiyah Hendricks led the Braves with three assists.
Nicole Brown earned her second KCAC Offensive Player of the Week award for her efforts in three games last week for OU. She averaged 25.7 points and 13 rebounds in helping the Braves go 2-1 last week. She shot 57.1% from the floor, 40% from behind the 3-point line, and 73.1% from the free throw line.
Saturday is the OU Play4Kay game. The Braves will wear pink socks and Play4Kay warmups in the game against Kansas Wesleyan University. The team is also fundraising with a goal of $1,000. Click this link to donate: https://support.kayyow.com/ottawawbb.
Over the past three games, Janiyah Hendricks has picked up the Braves’ scoring and defensive intensity. In 20 games, she is averaging 3.5 points, shooting 36.1% from the floor and has 23 steals. Compared to the last three games in which she is averaging 7.7 points, shooting 47.4% from the floor and has six steals.
The Braves are 9-2 in Wilson Field House this season and 6-2 in KCAC play. In home games this year, Ottawa is scoring 72.2 points while holding opponents to 56 points per game. OU is shooting 40.7% from the floor, 28.4% from behind the arc, and 75.9% from the free throw line. Inside the Wilson Field House, opponents are shooting 34.3% from the floor, 24.5% from behind the arc, and 24.5% from the free throw line.
Ottawa is 4-1 in their last five games with the loss coming to Bethany College. The Braves went on a two-game hitting streak. During this five-game stretch, Ottawa is averaging 67 points while holding their opponents to 61.8 points per game. Nicole Brown is averaging 22.2 points and 11.8 rebounds per game, while Cierra Brown is averaging 14.4 and 6.6 rebounds per game.
Saturday is the 90th meeting between Ottawa University and Kansas Wesleyan University. The Coyotes lead the series, 45-44, and have a three-game hitting streak against the Braves. KWU won their first fight of the season at Mabee Arena, 72-55 on Dec. 7. The first ever game between the two teams occurred in 1907. Ottawa defeated Kansas Wesleyan, 21-16.
Ottawa is 1-9 in its last 10 games against the Coyotes. OU’s most recent win against KWU occurred at Wilson Field House on January 16, 2021. OU won the game, 67-61.
In a 72-55 loss to Kansas Wesleyan on December 7, KWU finished the game on a 13-5 run to clinch the win. The Braves shot 42% from the floor, 23.5% from behind the 3-point line, and 60% from the free throw line. OU had two players in double figures, led by Hailey Henry’s 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the floor. Kennedy Bankett came off the bench to score a season-high 13 points. He was 5 out of 6 off the floor. Maria Moore and Nicole Brown each led the Braves with five rebounds. Henry also led the Braves with four assists and three blocks. Nicole Brown had three steals.
This season, Ottawa is averaging 68 points, 40 rebounds and 12.7 assists per game. OU is shooting 41.2% from the floor, 29.5% from behind the three-point line, and 72.9% from the free throw line.
OU ranks 40th in the NAIA in free throw percentage (.729), 41st in defensive rebounds per game (28.7), 46th in blocks per game (3.5), and 42nd in opponent field goal percentage (.363)
The Braves are led in scoring (15.9), rebounding (11.2) and blocks (1.9) by Nicole Brown. Cierra Brown leads OU in assists (2.2) and steals (1.6) per game.
Kansas Wesleyan University is 15-8 overall, 13-4 in KCAC play, has a four-game hitting streak, and has a 9-5 record in road games. Following their 62-56 loss to Bethany on January 18 in Lindsborg, KWU defeated Bethel (70-62), Friends (70-57), Avila (69-44), and Oklahoma Wesleyan (64-52).
In their win over Oklahoma Wesleyan Wednesday night in Bartlesville, KWU outscored the Eagles 23-8 in the first quarter and 16-7 in the third to win the game by 12 points. The Coyotes shot 44.1% from the floor, 20% from behind the 3-point line, and 52.9 (9-17)% from the free throw line. Jill Stephens and Tylieea Wallace came off the bench to each score 13 points. Catherine Bowman was the only starter in double figures, finishing with 11 points.
In 23 games this season, KWU is averaging 69.4 points, 37.4 rebounds and 12.9 assists per game. The Coyotes are shooting 42 percent from the floor, 31 percent from behind the 3-point line and 69.8 percent from the free throw line.
KWU is ranked 43rd in the NAIA in free throws made per game (14.6) and 47th in free throws attempted per game (20.9).
Tylieea Wallace leads Kansas Wesleyan in scoring (11.7), rebounding (7.8) and blocks (0.9). LaMyah Ricks is the team leader in assists (2) and steals (1.8).
Home or on the road, KWU is scoring 69.4 points per game. In his losses, however, the Coyotes are scoring 10.8 fewer points per game than they do in games they win (73.2-62.4).
