Complete game notes

The No. 4 ranked Lady Blues will look for their sixth straight win and head coach Ron McHenry will be going for win No. 200 as Washburn and Northwest Missouri will hit the hardwood for an early season battle for the conference lead. The two squads are the only undefeated teams left in MIAA action sharing the conference lead with identical 3-0 records. Washburn enters the game with an 11-1 overall record while the Bearcats are 8-4 this season. Washburn is coming off a 61-54 win at No. 16 Emporia State while Northwest Missouri topped Missouri Western in St. Joseph 78-74.

Quick Facts
Matchup: Washburn (11-1, 3-0 MIAA) at Northewst Missouri State (8-4, 3-0 MIAA)
Date: Saturday, Jan. 12
Time: 5:30 p.m. CST
Site: Maryville, Mo. - Bearcat Arena (2,500)
Radio: KTPK 106.9 FM / Topeka with play by play with Mark Elliott and Bruce Steinbrock
Online Audio: Through wusports.com (free)
Online Video: Through themiaa.tv ($5.50)
Live Stats: Through northwestbearcats.com (free)
Coaches: Washburn head coach Ron McHenry is 199-38 (.836) in his eighth season - McHenry is 14-3 against Northwest Missouri.
Northwest Missouri head coach Gene Steinmeyer is in his ninth season at Northwest posting a 121-117 record and a 481-258 overall record in his 24th season. He is 3-16 against Washburn.
Rankings: Washburn is ranked No. 4 in the WBCA/USA Today/ESPN Preseason Coaches Poll.
Series Record: WU leads the all-time series 37-7
Streaks: WU has won the last seven in the series
Last Meeting: WU 86-73 in Maryville on 2/14/07
Last WU win: same
Last NWMSU win: 76-68 on 3/6/04 in MIAA Tournament semis
Worth noting: Washburn has won three straight in Maryville by an average score of 17.6 points with the closest winning margin of 13 points

Lady Blues on radio . . .
The Lady Blues game with Central Missouri will be broadcast live on KTPK 106.9 FM with Mark Elliott calling the action and Bruce Steinbrock providing color commentary. The games will also be streamed live online by clicking the live audio button under Lady Blues Basketball on the WU web site at www.wusports.com by clicking the live audio link under Lady Blues Basketball.

The coaches . . .
Washburn head coach Ron McHenry has posted a 199-38 (.839) record overall and 100-26 (.792) record in the MIAA with four MIAA regular season championships from 2003-06 and the 2005 NCAA National Championship. He was named the Lady Blues head coach prior to the 2000-01 season. He is second among active women's NCAA Division II Coaches in winning percentage. McHenry was named the MIAA's Coach of the Year in 2005 and in 2006 and the Division II Bulletin National Coach of the Year in 2005. (complete bio on page 2 of notes.)
Northwest Missouri head coach Gene Steinmeyer is in his ninth season at Northwest Missouri State, posting a 121-117 record. He is 481-258 overall in his 24th season overall.
Steinmeyer came to Northwest from Doane College in Crete, Neb., where he notched a 369-132 record. He took Doane to eight conference championships, three district titles and made three consecutive NAIA Final Four appearances.
Steinmeyer holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska-Kearney. He earned his master's degree from Nebraska-Lincoln in 1988.

Last Time out for the Lady Blues . . .
Jan. 9, 2008 - #4 Washburn 61, No. 16 Emporia State 54 • EMPORIA, Kan. – Washburn's Jessica Mainz hit 7 of 8 free throws in the final 1:59 leading the No. 4 Lady Blues to a 61-54 over No. 16 Emporia State in ESU's White Auditorium. Washburn (11-1, 3-0 MIAA) will travel to Maryville, Mo., on Jan. 12 to face Northwest Missouri.
Washburn opened up a 27-17 leading after breaking from a media timeout to go on a 10-0 run over a 3:17 span. However, back to back 3-pointers by ESU, a lay-up and a pair of free throws created a 10-0 run by the Lady Hornets (8-4, 1-2 MIAA) to knot the score back at 27 with 3:22 remaining in the first half.
The Lady Blues would push the lead back to four with 1:19 remaining in the half, but the Lady Hornets would tie the score at 31 before the beak.
In the second half, the Lady Blues pushed the lead to six on a Janice Bright jumper at 39-33, but again Emporia State put together a 10-1 run to take a 43-40 lead with 10:02 left in the game.
Washburn tied the score at 43 on a Hope Gregory 3-pointer from the corner with 9:40 left and Washburn would take the lead for good at 45-43 on a lay-up by Regiane Araujo.
The Lady Blues pushed the lead to as many as seven taking advantage of an ESU field goal drought of more than six minutes before the Lady Hornets closed the gap to three at 52-49 with 3:29 left.
Down the stretch Washburn would connect on 9 of 12 free throws in the final 2:50 to seal the win giving Ron McHenry his 199th while on the Lady Blues' bench.
Mainz led the Lady Blues with a career-high 16 points going 4 of 5 from the field and 8 of 9 from the charity stripe. Overall, the Lady Blues were 15 of 21 from the free throw line.
Amanda Holmes also hit double figure scoring 10 points.
Michelle Stueve led ESU with 19 points while recording 10 rebounds.
Washburn forced the Lady Hornets into 24 turnovers leading to 31 points for the Lady Blues. Washburn committed 10 turnovers leading to 10 points for Emporia State.
For the game, Washburn was 22 of 62 from the field for a 35.5 percentage, trailing ESU's 35.8 percent after hitting 19 of 53 attempts.
Washburn's bench out scored the ESU bench 17 to 2, led by Araujo's nine points before fouling out late in the game.

Notes from the Emporia State Game . . .
Washburn is now 34-39 all-time against Emporia State …Washburn has won 14 of the last 19 meetings … 12 of the last 15 games between the two schools have been decided by less than 10 points … Jessica Mainz played a career-high 39 minutes, including all 20 in the second half … Washburn under Ron McHenry is now 190-7 when leading with under five minutes remaining … the win for McHenry was his 199th at Washburn – he is 199-38 all-time on the Lady Blues' bench … McHenry is now 27-11 all-time when both teams are ranked in the national WBCA poll … Washburn is now 680-321 in 1,001 games in the program's history.

Washburn/Northwest Missouri series notes . . .
Saturday's meeting will be the 45th in the series. Washburn is 37-7 all-time against the Bearcats and have won the last seven meetings. The Lady Blues have are 22-2 all-time against the Bearcats in Topeka winning the last 22 in a row. The last win for the Bearcats in Topeka was in a 79-65 win on Nov. 30, 1985. The last win for the Bearcats in the series came in a 76-68 win over Washburn in the MIAA Tournament semifinals on March 6, 2004. In Maryville, the Lady Blues have won five of the last six games in Bearcat Arena last falling 67-59 on Jan. 14, 2004.

Last Meeting Between Washburn and Northwest Missouri . . .
(Feb. 14, 2007) MARYVILLE, Mo. – The No. 3 ranked Washburn Lady Blues scored 50 points in the first half and held off a Northwest Missouri comeback attempt in the second half in an 86-73 win over the Bearcats Wednesday night in Bearcat Arena.
After putting up a first half season-high 50 points in the opening period, Washburn gave up 49 to the Bearcats who shot 57 percent in the second half hitting 21 of 37 attempts from the field. The Bearcats cut the lead from 26 at the break to as few as 13 with 5:05 remaining. However Northwest would get no closer as Megan Sullivan hit a jumper in the lane and Brooke Ubelaker hit back-to-back 3-pointers pushing the lead back to 18.
The Lady Blues jumped out to a 50-24 halftime lead as they started out the game 12 of 18 from the field pushing the early lead to 15 of 30. Washburn finished the half 20 of 36 from the field (56 percent) as Corkey Stiger and Ubelaker each scored 12 points in the opening period. The Lady Blues also held the Bearcats to 10 of 26 from the field and dominated on the boards holding Northwest to 11 rebounds overall, while the Lady Blues picked up 23. Washburn was also 7 of 15 from 3-point land compared to 2 of 10 from behind the 3-point arch for the Bearcats.
Ubelaker led the Lady Blues with 22 points in her school-record tying 125th start for Washburn. She also hit her 70th 3-pointer of the season, which is one shy of her school record 71 from last season.
Stiger finished with 18 off the bench. Jessica Aebi scored a career-high 16 points hitting 7 of 12 from the field. Megan Sullivan scored 12 points hitting 6 of 9 from the field. Cindy Keeley set a career-high with eight assists.
 
About Northwest Missouri . . .
The Bearcats are 8-4 this season and 3-0 in conference play after topping Missouri Western on the road 78-74. The Lady Blues will be the first ranked opponent the Bearcats have played this season.
Northwest is averaging 76.2 points per game this season while holding their opponents to 67.8 points per game. The Bearcats recorded their third 100-point game this season in a 101-97 win against Southwest Baptist to open the conference schedule and defeated Fort Hays State 67-50 Jan. 5.
The Bearcats are led by Mandi Schumacher as she has recorded a double-double in the past three of the last four games. On the year Schumacher is averaging 14.2 points per game and 7.1 rebounds per game both of which put her in the top ten in the MIAA. Northwest's second leading scorer is Andrea Dill as she is averaging 11.8 points per contest. Kelli Nelson  is averaging 10.6 ppg.

Last time out for Northwest Missouri State . . .
 (Jan. 9, 2008) -- ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- Senior F Andrea Dill hit a jumper with 20 seconds left to halt a late rally by Missouri Western, giving the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats a 78-74 victory over the Griffons Wednesday night at the Looney Complex.
In the first half, the Bearcats (8-4, 3-0 MIAA) shot 42.9 percent from the field --including a 5-for-6 performance with 10 points and three assists by junior G Amber Vandevender.
An 8-0 run gave Northwest a 17-10 lead, building their lead to 11 points with 9:30 left. The Griffons (6-5, 1-2 MIAA) would close out the half with a 12-2 run, tying the game at 35 -- getting six points each from senior F Yanique Javois and freshman G Lauren Nolke.
Northwest came out firing in the second half, hitting a season-high eight three-pointers, leading by as many as 12 points, 71-59. The Griffons would battle back with a 14-5 run of their own giving the Bearcats a slim two-point lead, 76-74, with 44 seconds left.
Dill hit her bucket with 23 seconds left to make it a two-possession game. Western missed twice from the field in the last 15 seconds.
Senior C Mandi Schumacher and senior G Kelli Nelson paced Northwest with 15 points each. Junior F Jessica Burton and Dill contributed 12 points apiece.
Schumacher had her streak of double-doubles snapped, but grabbed six rebounds. Nelson knocked down five three-pointers and is now 16-of-32 from the arc in conference play. Vandevender dished out a season-high eight assists.
Javois led all scorers with 23 points for Western. Senior F Jill Johnson just missed a triple-double with 16 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, while Nolkes added 13 points.

Lady Blues Notes . . .
#3 – Brette Ulsaker – Hit at least one field goal in 8 of 12 games this season
#4 – Amanda Holmes – Averaging 6. 5 ppg in four career games vs Northwest Missouri
#11 – Renata Germano – Averaging 2.5 ppg as a starter this season
#13 – Jessica Mainz – 16 pts, 4 FG's, 8 FT's, 5 steals and 39 minutes all season highs against ESU
#14 – Alyssa Mullen – Hit only field goal attempt against Central Missouri on Jan. 5
#20 – Hadleigh Meek – Hit only field goal attempt against Central Missouri on Jan. 5
#21 – Corkey Stiger – Averaging 16.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.0 apg and 1.5 spg in two games against NWMSU
#23 – Jacki Tipping – Both rebounds are offensive this season
#24 – Karla Tailele – Career-high 13 points on 5 of 6 shooting against UCM
#30 – Kalee Silovsky – Nine rebounds against MWSU was a career high
#32 – Janice Bright – Scored 9 of 11 points in 1st half against Jennies
#33 – Hope Gregory – Tied career high with four FT attempts against Emporia State
#44 – Emily Gibson – Tied season high with eight minutes played against UMSL
#50 – Regiane Araujo – Eight field goal attempts against ESU was a career high

Lady Blues in Lee Arena . . .
In their 24th season in Lee Arena, the Lady Blues are 294-55 (.841) overall at home. 
The longest winning streak was 44 games from Dec. 1, 1990 to March 20, 1993.
The Lady Blues have won 35 straight regular season non-conference games in Lee Arena. The last defeat by a non-conference team in the regular season was to Missouri-St. Louis in a 59-51 setback on Dec. 30, 2000.
Washburn is 102-10 (.910) in home games under Ron McHenry.

Lady Blues history . . .
Washburn is 680-321 (.680 in 1,001 games) in its 38th season of intercollegiate action.

WU in the national poll . . .
The Washburn Lady Blues remained No. 4 latest USA Today/ESPN Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll which was released Jan. 8. Washburn was ranked No. 6 in the preseason poll which was released on Oct. 31. The Lady Blues were ranked No. 8 in the final poll of the 2007-08 season after finishing with a 29-4 overall record. The poll marks the 94th consecutive week the Lady Blues have been ranked.

Tip Ins . . .
• Corkey Stiger is tied for eighth all-time at Washburn in 3-pointers made with 83.
• Stiger's 248 3-point attempts is seventh all-time.
• Amanda Holmes is 14th all-time with 206 free throws made and 14th as well in free throw attempts with 306.
• Holmes needs 12 rebounds to move into the top 15 in WU history. She has 480, which ranks 19th all-time.
• Holmes' 87 career blocked shots is fifth all-time at Washburn needing five to move into sole possession of fourth place.
• The Lady Blues have not allowed an opponent to shoot above 50 percent in a game in a streak of 83 contests - Angelo State was the last opponent to hit 50 percent of their shots in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Springfield when they connected on 26 of 52 shots on March 12, 2005.  Under McHenry, the Lady Blues are 194-34 when their opponent shoots under 50 percent overall. Washburn is 4-4 when their opponents shoot over 50 percent.
• The Lady Blues have held their opponents under 100 points in 263 consecutive games.
• Washburn is 141 of 361 (.391) from the field in the first half of games this season and 148 of 345 (.429) in the second half.
• The Lady Blues are 48 of 69 from the free throw line in the last five minutes of the game (.696) compared to 34 of 48 (.708) for their opponents.
• The Lady Blues were outrebounded for the first time this season against ESU - 42 to 35.

Under Lady Blues head coach Ron McHenry . . .
• In going for his 200th win in his 238th game on the Lady Blues bench, Ron McHenry is looking to accompish the feat faster than the Lady Blues' all-time winningest coach by victories in Patty Dick, who won her 200th game in her 307th game on the Washburn bench.
• The Lady Blues are 169-7 when outshooting their opponent.
• Washburn is 65-1 when holding their opponents under 50 points or less. The lone loss was to Missouri Western on Jan. 27, 2007 in a 49-47 loss in St. Joseph, Mo.
• Washburn is 70-0 when they score at least 80 points.
• Washburn is 190-7 when leading with 5 minutes remaining in the game.
• Washburn is 58-2 when shooting 50 percent or better.
• Washburn is 48-17 all-time in the month of January.
• Washburn is 29-19 against ranked teams and 27-11 when both teams are ranked in the WBCA National Poll.

Up Next . . .
The Lady Blues will return to the road following the game with the Bearcats to take on and Fort Hays State (Jan. 16) before returning home to face Truman on Jan. 19. Following the game with the Bulldogs, the Lady Blues will have two more road games at Southwest Baptist on Jan. 22 and at Pittsburg State on Jan. 26 before returning home to play 7 of their final 10 MIAA games in Lee Arena.