The Braves defeated Bethel College 83-75 in Thresher Gymnasium on Saturday evening. The win was OU head coach
Aaron Siebenthall's career coaching victory no. 150. Ottawa shot 44.9 percent from the floor, 31.8 percent from behind the 3-pt line, and 91.4 percent from the free throw line
Jayden Hibbitt led OU with 31 points. He was one rebound way from a double-double, finishing with nine rebounds.
This season, Ottawa is averaging 81.2 points, 40.7 rebounds, and 13 assists per game. The Braves are shooting 44 percent from the floor, 34.3 percent from behind the 3-pt line, and 77.5 percent from the free throw line.
Jayden Hibbitt leads the Braves in scoring, averaging 20.4 points per game. He is shooting 50.3 percent from the floor and 44.4 percent from behind the 3-pt line.
Angok Anyang is OU's leader in rebounding, averaging 10.1 rebounds per game.
Deondre Buggage is OU's leader in assists (4.5) per game and
Kamren Woods is the team's leader in steals (1.6) per game.
Ottawa has a record of 5-5 in Wilson Field House this season. In those 10 games, Ottawa is averaging 80.3 points per game and shooting 40.9 percent from the floor and 30.6 percent from behind the 3-pt line. Opponents are scoring 80.7 points per game and shooting 40.8 percent from the floor and 32.2 percent from behind the 3-pt line.
In KCAC play, OU is scoring 78.1 points per game and shooting 42.3 percent from the floor. Opponents are scoring 78.4 points per game and shooting 41.8 percent from the floor.
Ottawa is ranked 30th in the NAIA in free throws made per game (16), seventh in free throw percentage (.775), eighth in defensive rebounds per game (30.7), 31st in total rebounds per game (40.7), and 27th in personal fouls per game (14.6).
Wednesday is the 147th meeting between Ottawa University and Friends University. The Braves lead the series, 86-60 and are on a six game winning streak against the Falcons. OU is 8-2 in their last 10 games against Friends. The Braves have won five straight against Friends in Wilson Field House. The last time OU lost at home to the Falcons was on Jan. 10, 2018. Friends won the game, 91-73. The last time Ottawa lost to Friends was on Dec. 2, 2020 in Wichita. The Falcons won the game, 81-73. The first game between the two teams happened in 1910. Ottawa won the game, 28-26. The Braves defeated Friends 97-91 in the meeting this season on Dec. 2 in Wichita.
In OU's win over Friends on Dec. 2, Ottawa shot 53.5 from the floor, 45.2 percent from behind the 3-pt line, and 70 percent from the free throw line. OU had six players in double figures led by
Jayden Hibbitt's 25 points on 11-for-15 shooting from the floor.
Angok Anyang had a double-double, finishing with 13 points and 18 rebounds.
Deondre Buggage had 22 points and seven assists.
Amil Fields and
Ricardo Zambrano came off the bench to score 12 points apiece.
Payton Kaiser finished the game with 11 points.
Friends University has an overall record of 8-13, a 5-11 record in the KCAC, is 2-7 away from the Garvey Center and enters Wednesday's game coming off a 79-72 win over Bethany. Prior to the victory, the Falcons had lost five straight games.
The Falcons are averaging 77.3 points, 36.1 rebounds, and 12.4 assists per game this season. They are shooting 44.9 percent from the floor, 35.1 percent from behind the 3-pt line, and 72.4 percent from the free throw line.
Friends University head men's basketball coach, Phil McClintock played a basketball at Ottawa and spent seven seasons as the associate head coach with the OU men's basketball program. He is a member of the Braves Athletic Hall of Fame and a two-time NAIA All-American.
KJ Spiller leads Friends in scoring, averaging 15.1 points per game and shooting 47.8 percent from the floor. Tim Barbieri leads the Falcons in rebounding, averaging 5.6 rebounds per game. Steele Chapman leads the team in assists (2.7) and steals (1.3) per game.
On the road this season, Friends is averaging 70 points per game and shooting 43.9 percent from the floor.
In their 13 losses, the Falcons are scoring 71.3 points and shooting 43 percent from the floor.
