WINFIELD, Kan. — Southwestern College returns home Wednesday night to host Friends University at Stewart Fieldhouse in a Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference matchup. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m.
The Moundbuilders enter the game with an 11-5 overall record and a 5-5 mark in KCAC play following a competitive road contest at McPherson over the weekend. Friends comes to Winfield at 13-3 overall and 8-2 in conference action.
Southwestern is coming off a 79-64 game at McPherson College on Saturday night. The first half featured a tight battle with multiple lead changes, as Southwestern matched the Bulldogs throughout the opening 20 minutes. Zach Hidalgo and Nigel John anchored the Moundbuilders inside, combining for 24 first-half points, while McPherson carried a narrow 41-40 lead into halftime.
McPherson built momentum early in the second half, creating separation with a brief run. Southwestern continued to compete on the glass and in the paint, generating second-chance opportunities and interior scoring, but McPherson maintained control down the stretch.
Hidalgo led Southwestern with 21 points and 14 rebounds to record his fifth double-double of the season. Wyatt Bell added 16 points, three rebounds and two assists, while John finished with 14 points and seven rebounds. Southwestern scored 38 points in the paint and added 26 second-chance points.
Friends University is coached by Phil McClintock, who is in his third season leading the Falcons. Friends enters Wednesday's contest after a narrow 71-70 loss to top-ranked Oklahoma Wesleyan. Randy Woolf Jr. led Friends with 15 points, hitting three three-pointers, while Cahlese Lee added 13 points and six rebounds. Ringo Deng finished with 11 points and seven rebounds, and Collin Maclin chipped in 10 points with six rebounds. Off the bench, Eli Benning scored 10 points, and Jackson Swartz added six points and five rebounds.
The Falcons are led on the season by Lee, who is averaging 15.9 points per game while shooting 47.6 percent from the field and 37.7 percent from three-point range. Maclin averages 12.5 points per game, and Deng adds 11.6 points per contest while providing a strong presence on the glass.
