Coyotes cool off Romero-less `Dogs

By STEVE SELL, Sentinel Sports Editor

Everything seems to be going the Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes' way these days.

The Coyotes entered Saturday's game with McPherson College having won six games in a row after a 1-8 conference start.

Then they received some unbelievably good fortune before the game when it was learned that

Mac's Kenny Romero -- who had punished the Coyotes for 34 points and 23 rebounds in the first meeting -- was not going to play because of a severe hip pointer.

The Coyotes took advantage of Romero's absence to do some punishing of their own, as their 44-27 rebounding advantage keyed a 78-72 win in a battle of the two-hottest teams in the KCAC.

"They just killed us on the boards," said McPherson coach Roger Trimmell, whose team fell to 9-7 in the KCAC and 14-12 overall. "We just didn't have the physical presence inside that Kenny provides us."

Twenty of the Coyotes' rebounds came on the offensive end, which led to 17 second-chance points.

By losing and with the other conference happenings Saturday, the Bulldogs went from a tie for third to a tie for fifth. And now they're still in a position where they could be involved in one of the the two play-in games in the KCAC Postseason Tournament.

"This was a tough loss," Trimmell said. "I thought both teams played well and played hard. It just came down to rebounding. They got too many second chances."

The biggest came with 1:47 to go and the Coyotes leading 73-70. KW's Travis Rhodes missed the front end of a 1-and-1, but Matt Crist -- who started his career at Mac before transferring -- muscled his way inside to grab the rebound and stuck it back in, which proved to be the backbreaker.

The Coyotes had led by as many as 12 in the first half before the Bulldogs closed within 42-36. The Bulldogs managed to get the game tied at 46-46, but the Coyotes immediately went on a 9-0 run and never gave up the lead.

No player probably was happier to see Romero out than KW's Henry Williams, who had a green light inside to score 21 points and grab 12 rebounds. Tim Melton and Sam Gallegos added 16 apiece, while Crist finished with 14.

The Bulldogs were led by Roy McDonald and Jamaal Norris with 17 apiece and Jose Morales scored 14. Norris, the team's leading scorer, sat out nearly half the game as he was suffering from a sprained ankle.

The Bulldogs have one week left, starting with a road game Thursday at Sterling before coming home Saturday against Bethel. Both teams are ahead of the Bulldogs in the standings.

Mac (72) -- Morales 6 2-2 14; McDonald 7 3-4 17; Soto 3 0-0 8; Norris 5 3-4 17; Hooks 4 1-2 9; Cox 3 1-1 7. Totals -- 28 10-13 72. 3-pointers -- Norris 4, Soto 2.

KW (78) -- Rhodes 1 0-1 2; Melton 6 3-3 16; Vanek 1 1-2 4; Crist 6 2-6 14; Showman 1 0-0 3; Gallegos 5 3-4 16; Williams 10 1-3 21. Totals -- 31 10-19 78. 3-pointers -- Gallegos 3, Melton 1, Vanek 1, Showman 1.