Scots Battle Owls in Matchup of Top 25 Teams

Courtesy Lyon College Athletics Department

FULTON, Mo. – A pair of red-hot NAIA Division I Top 25 teams are set to tangle in a key American Midwest Conference matchup in Fulton, Mo. on Saturday afternoon when 16th-ranked William Woods University hosts the 19th-ranked Lyon College women’s basketball team.

The contest is the first half of a women/men doubleheader, with the men playing at 4 p.m. The LIVE VIDEO of both games will be broadcast by clicking HERE, while the LIVE STATS of the women’s can be found by clicking HERE, and the men’s game by clicking HERE.

WOMEN’S PREVIEW

The logjam atop the AMC women’s standings will be shaken somewhat on Saturday when the Owls host the Scots. William Woods is currently 12-1 on the season and 3-0 in league play, while Lyon owns a 13-2 season mark and an identical 3-0 conference record. WWU and LC are tied with 30th-ranked Columbia College (10-5, 3-0 AMC) in first place in the standings. The Cougars will play at Stephens College (3-11, 0-3 AMC) on Saturday.

Other AMC matchups on Saturday include Hannibal-LaGrange (9-5, 2-1 AMC) visiting Harris-Stowe (3-12, 0-3 AMC), Missouri Baptist (5-10, 2-1 AMC) traveling to Benedictine University at Springfield (3-10, 0-3 AMC) and Williams Baptist (8-7, 1-2 AMC) will host Park University (4-8, 1-2 AMC).

William Woods and Lyon are both on a roll, with the Owls on a seven-game winning streak, in addition to having won 12 of their first 13 games of the season. The Scots have reeled off four straight wins since their setback to No. 1-ranked Lubbock Christian on Dec. 20. Lyon has picked up wins in nine of its last 10.

The Scots and the Owls are statistical leaders when compared to other teams in the country. Between the two teams they are ranked in 27 categories among the Top 50 rankings.

Lyon is ranked 10th in total rebounds allowed (32.7), 22nd in turnover margin (+3.5), 3-point field goal defense (26.5%) and 3-point field goal percentage (33.1%), 25th in scoring defense per game (57.8) and 26th in scoring margin per game (11.5), just to name a few.

William Woods is ranked No. 1 in defensive rebounds per game (31.5%), seventh in defensive field goal percentage (33.3%), ninth in assist/turnover ratio (0.95) and total rebounds per game (44.6), and 15th in scoring defense per game (55.2).

The Scots are led by senior Phagen Altom, who is the team’s top scorer (12.0 ppg.) and rebounder (5.9 rpg.). Senior Suzanne Fincham, a two-sport athlete (volleyball) at Lyon, has moved into the No. 2 scoring spot on the team, throwing in 11.6 ppg., while puling down 5.3 boards a contest. Senior Debbie Onukwube is third on the team in scoring, throwing in 11.3 ppg, with a 5.2 rebounding average. Sophomore Whitney Keith is scoring 8.4 and is tied for the team’s lead in rebounding at 5.9.

Priscilla Santos is the only William Woods player averaging double-figure scoring, throwing in 13.7 points per game. Four other Owls are averaging more than eight points a game, including Stephanie Copelin (9.1), Ashlee Taylor (9.0), Katie Scherder (8.2) and Olivia Storjohann (8.2).

Scherder (5.9), Santos (5.9), Storjohann (5.8) and Copelin (5.7) are all averaging more than five rebounds per game for WWU.

MEN’S PREVIEW

The Lyon College men’s basketball team will have its hands full on Saturday when the Scots (3-11, 0-3 AMC) tangle with league co-front-runner William Woods University (7-9, 3-0 AMC) at 4 p.m. in Fulton, Mo.

The Owls are currently tied with No. 2-ranked Columbia College (17-0, 3-0 AMC) for first place in the conference. Columbia is idle on Saturday.

Other conference matchups include Park (8-6, 2-1 AMC) traveling to Williams Baptist (10-5, 1-1 AMC), Missouri Baptist (6-9, 1-1 AMC) visiting Benedictine University at Springfield (4-11, 1-2 AMC) and Harris-Stowe (2-14, 1-2 AMC) hosting Hannibal-LaGrange (3-11, 0-2 AMC).

Lyon College will be hoping to turn its fortunes after going winless in three straight league contests. The Scots hit 49.2% of their field goals on Thursday night, but still fell short to Park University, 95-84, at home. William Woods is coming off a 74-66 victory over Hannibal-LaGrange for the Owls’ third straight win.

Marcus Humose is the Scots’ leading scorer, throwing in 16.1 ppg. Kendall Leeks, who was two points shy of his season high of 24 points against Park on Thursday, is averaging 12.1 points a contest. Devonte Young is third on the team, throwing in 9.3 points.

Leeks is the leading rebounder on the Lyon squad, averaging 5.6 points per game, with Jordan Layrock second at 5.0 and Slater Belew third at 4.4.

Daniel Armah paces the Owls in scoring, averaging 15.6 points per game, with Logan Decker second at 12.1, D.J. Hoskins third with an 11.8 ppg. average and Jonathon Nutt sitting at 10.2.

Armah is also the leading rebounder for WWU, pulling down 9.6 per contest.