WINFIELD, Kan. — With the regular season winding down, Southwestern College (18-8, 12-8) is set to face off against conference rival Friends University (20-6, 16-4). The Moundbuilders will celebrate Senior Night, honoring Justin Demaria, Trey Abasolo, Ronail Tape, Cody Potter, Jerrod Gillette, Easton Mayo, and Ryan Auten.
Southwestern enters the contest averaging 80.3 points per game, shooting 44.6% from the field and 38.3% from three-point range. The Builders rely on balanced scoring, led by junior guard Wyatt Bell, who has tallied 402 points this season, averaging 17.5 points per game. Sophomore point guard Evan Barber contributes 341 points and shoots 41.9% from deep, while senior guard Demaria adds 321 points, hitting 35.3% of his three-pointers. Austin Hilton has continued his season long dominance on top of the KCAC 3-point shooting percentage pyramid, shooting 47.9% and Abasolo is foutrh in the KCAC at 44% and coming off his selection as KCAC Offensive Player of the Week.
A dominant force in the paint, junior center Zach Hidalgo leads the KCAC in rebounding with 12.8 boards per game, ranking third in the entire NAIA. The Moundbuilders also excel in creating second-chance opportunities, ranking first in the KCAC in offensive rebounding with 13.6 per game.
Meanwhile, Southwestern has been great from beyond the arc, led by junior guard Austin Hilton, who leads the KCAC's three-point percentage at 47.9%. Senior guard Trey Abasolo adds to the outside attack, ranking fourth in the KCAC at 44.0% from deep.
Defensively, the Moundbuilders hold teams to 69.5 points per game and 40.8% shooting from the field, while forcing nearly 12 turnovers per game. They will need to maintain this intensity against a Friends team that averages 83.9 points per game.
Friends is led by senior forward KJ Spiller, who is averaging 17.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, shooting 51.0% from the floor. The Falcons also have a deep scoring roster, featuring Cahlese Lee (12.6 ppg, 42.9% from three) and Randy Woolf Jr. (10.7 ppg, 54.2 FG%). Friends thrives on ball movement, averaging 16.9 assists per game, and will look to use its efficient shooting (50.2% overall, 37.2% from three) to challenge Southwestern's defense.
This matchup carries significant conference implications, with Southwestern aiming to improve its seeding in the KCAC standings. A win would bolster its position ahead of the postseason tournament, while Friends is vying to maintain its hold near the top of the standings.
Tipoff is set for 8:00 p.m. at Stewart Field House, with Senior Night festivities taking place at the halftime of the Womens game.
