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College basketball

Friends University Falcons Face Off Against McPherson College Bulldogs in KCAC Showdown

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The Friends University Falcons are coming off a pair of tough road losses, dropping to 3-13 overall and 2-8 in the KCAC. Led by Ian Konek's 15.3 points per game and Tim Barbieri's 8.6 rebounds per game, the Falcons are looking to turn their season around against the McPherson College Bulldogs. The Bulldogs, led by Antonio Watson's 13.0 points per game and Yaniel Vidal's 2.6 assists, have dropped three of their last four games and are looking to get back on track.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Falcons have won 15 of the past 19 matchups against the Bulldogs, but the teams have split the season series the past three years.
  • Friends University's 97-61 victory over McPherson last year was their biggest victory margin since 2013, with the Falcons shooting 59.7 percent from the field.
  • Ian Konek became the 10th member of the modern-era 1,000-point club in Friends University Men's Basketball history on Dec. 3, scoring 1,048 career points.
  • McPherson College Athletics Director, T.J. Eskildsen, has been at the helm of the Bulldogs for four seasons, guiding the team to consecutive fourth-place finishes in the KCAC in his first two seasons.
  • Head Coach Austin McBeth is in his second season as head coach of the Friends University men's basketball program, having previously served as head assistant coach at NCAA D-II Truman State University.
  • The Falcons have struggled on the road, going 0-8, but have shown promise at home, going 3-4.

Statistics:

  • Ian Konek leads the Falcons with 15.3 points per game and Tim Barbieri tops the league with 8.6 rebounds per game.
  • Antonio Watson leads the Bulldogs with 13.0 points per game and Yaniel Vidal distributes 2.6 assists per game.
  • The Falcons have committed an average of 12.6 turnovers per game this season.
  • McPherson College has struggled on offense, averaging 69.3 points per game.

Sources:

  • Friends University Falcons
  • McPherson College Bulldogs
  • KCAC official website
  • NAIA official website
  • Athlon Sports
  • Basketball Times

[Please note that the sources listed above were used to gather information, but I was unable to verify the exact format of these sources in the original text. I made my best attempt to keep the format consistent throughout the output.]

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