Complete game notes

Lady Blues look to clinch at least share of MIAA title and to send seniors out with a win as they play host to Fort Hays State . . . 
The Washburn Lady Blues will celebrate senior night as Amanda Holmes and Corkey Stiger will play their final regular season home games in Lee Arena and look to clinch at least a share of their fifth MIAA title in the last six seasons as they entertain Fort Hays State on Wednesday in Lee Arena. Washburn (21-4, 13-3 MIAA) holds a one-game lead in the conference standings with their 78-52 win over then No. 18 Emporia State on Saturday in Topeka. Fort Hays State fell on the road to Truman 67-61 in Pershing Arena. Washburn can also clinch the No. 1 seed in the upcoming MIAA Tournament with a win over the Lady Tigers. Washburn won the earlier meeting in Hays 70-53 on Jan. 16 giving head coach Ron McHenry his 200th win on the Lady Blues' bench. Fort Hays State head coach Annette Wiles will be going for her 300th win in her 15th season of coaching. Following the game with the Lady Tigers, Washburn will wrap up the regular season at Central Missouri at 1:30 p.m. in Warrensburg.

Quick Facts
Matchup: Washburn (21-4, 13-3 MIAA) vs Fort Hays State (11-14, 5-11 MIAA)
Date: Wednesday, Feb. 27
Time: 5:30 p.m. CST
Site: Topeka, Kan. -- Lee Arena (4,197)
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 wusports.com
Television: KTWU, channel 11 in Topeka and on K30AL, channel 30,  in Iola, Kansas.  KTWU is also available on various cable systems throughout the state including Cox Cable channel 8 in Topeka with play by play with Jason Lamb and Mike Manns.
Coaches: Washburn head coach Ron McHenry is 209-41 (.835) in his eighth season - McHenry is 4-0 against Fort Hays State.
Annette Wiles is 135-88 in her eighth season at FHSU and 299-140 in her 15th season as a head coach. She is 0-5 in her career against WU going 0-4 at FHSU and 0-1 at Bethany.
Rankings: Washburn is ranked No. 17 in the WBCA/USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll - No. 2 in the NCAA South Central Regional Rankings.
Series Record: WU leads the all-time series 34-25
Streaks: WU has won the last nine in the series
Last Meeting: WU 70-52 on 1/16/08 in Hays
Last WU win: same
Last FHSU win: 62-67, 12/3/94 in Topeka
Worth noting: With a win over the Lady Tigers, the Lady Blues can clinch at least a share of their 10th overall conference title and their sixth MIAA regular season championship - it would be the fifth under Ron McHenry. A win would also guarantee the No. 1 seed in the upcoming MIAA Postseason Tournament March 6-9.

Lady Blues on radio . . .
The Lady Blues game with Emporia State 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 wusports.com by clicking the live audio link under Lady Blues Basketball.

Lady Blues on Television . . .
The Lady Blues game with Pittsburg State will be broadcast live on KTWU, channel 11 in Topeka and on K30AL, channel 30,  in Iola, Kansas.  KTWU is also available on various cable systems throughout the state including Cox Cable channel 8 in Topeka with play by play with Jason Lamb and Mike Manns.

The coaches . . .
Washburn head coach Ron McHenry has posted a 209-41 (.835) record overall and 111-29 (.790) record in the MIAA with four MIAA regular season championships from 2003-06 and the 2005 NCAA National Championship. McHenry has the highest winning percentage (.835) in MIAA history of coaches who have at least 200 wins.
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.)
Fort Hays State head coach Annette Wiles is 135-88 in her eighth season at FHSU and 299-139 in her 15th season as a head coach. She is 0-4 in her career against WU going 0-3 at FHSU and 0-1 at Bethany.
 
 Last Time Out for the Lady Blues . . .
Feb. 23, 2008 - No. 17 Washburn 78, No. 18 Emporia State 52 • TOPEKA, Kan. – The No. 17 Washburn Lady Blues moved into sole possession of first place in the MIAA with two games to play and swept the regular season series with arch-rival Emporia State in a 78-52 win over the No. 18 ranked Lady Hornets. Washburn improves to 21-4 overall and takes a one-game lead over ESU and two-games over SBU entering the final week of the season. Washburn can clinch at least a share of the MIAA's regular season title with a win over Fort Hays State on Wednesday, Feb. 27 in Lee Arena. It will also be the final regular season home game for Washburn seniors Amanda Holmes and Corkey Stiger.
Washburn jumped out to a 40-21 lead at the break after holding the league's leading offensive team to 5 of 23 from the field while Washburn connected on 51 percent of their attempts hitting 16 of 31 led by Amanda Holmes' 11 points. Washburn outscored the Lady Hornets 28 to 6 in the paint in the first half.
In the second half, the Lady Blues kept the defensive pressure up by limiting ESU to 9 of 32 from the field scoring 31 points while Washburn put up 38 points leading to the 14-point win.
Holmes led the Lady Blues with 19 points and 10 rebounds recording her 15th double double of her career and her fifth of the season. Corkey Stiger scored 18. Also hitting double figures were Janice Bright with 13 on 6 of 8 shooting from the field and Jessica Mainz with 10 points.
Michelle Stueve led ESU with 11 points and Alli Volkens scored 10 off the bench for the Lady Hornets.

Notes from the Emporia State game . . .
Washburn pulled within four games in the all-time series with ESU leading 39-35 … Washburn has won 15 of the last 20 games in the series … the win was the 300th in Lee Arena for the Lady Blues … Washburn is now 300-56 all-time in Lee Arena … Washburn outscored the Lady Hornets 42 to 14 in the paint … Amanda Holmes has averaged 4.8 assists per game in the last four … Jessica Mainz's seven rebounds tied a season high … Washburn is 62-2 when shooting at least 50 percent from the field … Washburn held ESU to 2 of 18 from 3-point range.
 
Washburn/Fort Hays State series notes . . .
Wednesday's meeting will be the 60th in the series which started in 1970 with a FHSU 34-21 win. The Lady Blues lead the all-time series 34-25. The Lady Blues have won the last nine in a row and the four in Topeka. Washburn has also won the last nine meetings in Hays. The Lady Tigers have not won in Topeka since Dec. 3, 1994 in a 67-62 win over Washburn. The series with the Lady Tigers is the fifth most-played series despite not playing any games between 2001-06 when FHSU was part of the RMAC. The Lady Blues have played Missouri Western 74 times, Emporia State 73 times, Pittsburg State 67 times and Missouri Southern 62 times followed by the 59 all-time meetings with the Lady Tigers.
 
Last Meeting Between Washburn and Fort Hays State . . .
(Jan. 16, 2008) HAYS, Kan. – The No. 8 Washburn Lady Blues rebounded from its first MIAA loss of the season and head coach Ron McHenry picked up his 200th win on the Lady Blues bench in a 70-53 win over Fort Hays State.
Washburn (12-2, 4-1 MIAA) trailed early 4-0 and 9-5 and 11-7 to the Lady Tigers (7-7, 1-4 MIAA) before taking for good at the 13:22 mark of the first half on a Regiane Araujo lay up putting Washburn up 14-13. Washburn stretched the lead to nine after back-to-back jumpers by Corkey Stiger with 8:07 left in the first half.
The Lady Blues would lead by as many as 15 in the half before taking a 40-27 lead into the break.
In the second half, Washburn pulled out to a 15-point lead midway through the period and finished with a 17-point win while topping Fort Hays State for the ninth straight time.
Stiger led a trio of Lady Blues with 20 points on 8 of 12 shooting. She scored 14 in the first half on 5 of 6 shooting from the field.
Araujo scored a career-high 12 points on 6 of 9 shooting and Karla Tailele had 11 points hitting 3 of 6 3-pointers. Hope Gregory led the Lady Blues with five rebounds.
Naomi Bancroft led the Lady Tigers with 15 points.
Washburn held Fort Hays State to 22 of 58 from the field (38 percent) while the Lady Blues shot over 50 percent for the second time this season hitting 26 of 49 attempts from the field.
 
About Fort Hays State . . .
The Lady Tigers are 11-14 overall and 5-11 in conference play after falling at Truman 67-61 snapping their two-game winning streak.
Brianna Willhite leads a trio of Lady Tigers scoring in double figures with 13.8 points. Also averaging double-digit scoring is Sheena Kuntzsch and Naomi Bancroft with 13.1 and 12.5 respectively. Kuntzsch leads the Lady Tigers on the glass with 6.5 rebounds per game.
Fort Hays State is ninth in the league in scoring averaging 66.7 points per game. Defensively, the Lady Tigers are tied for fourth in scoring defense allowing 67.3 points per game and second in steals with 9.96 per game.

Last time out for the Lady Tigers . . .
(Feb. 24, 2008) --  The Fort Hays State women's basketball team played at Truman State University on Saturday afternoon (February 23) in Kirksville, Mo. Several comeback efforts by the Lady Tigers in the second half came up short as they fell 67-61 to the Bulldogs.
Fort Hays State tied the game at 36-36 with 17:32 remaining in the second half, Truman followed up with a 14-2 run. From that point, FHSU came no closer than four points the rest of the game.
Brianna Willhite led the Lady Tigers with 18 points. Naomi Bancroft and Sheena Kuntzsch reached double figures in scoring with 12 points each. Meshia Mason led the team in rebounds with seven and assists with four.
Georgia Mueller led the Bulldogs with 18 points. She had a double-double by pulling down a team-high 11 rebounds. Carmen McGee also had 11 rebounds. Katie Fowler had a team-high five assists.

Lady Blues player Notes . . .
#3 – Brette Ulsaker – G – 10 of 19 rebounds in MIAA play have been offensive.
#4 – Amanda Holmes – F – 19 points vs ESU was a season-high.
#11 – Renata Germano – C – 19 of 41 from field in MIAA play.
#13 – Jessica Mainz – G – Seven rebounds against ESU tied season-high for the third time.
#14 – Alyssa Mullen – F – Eight of 17 from the field in home games this season.
#20 – Hadleigh Meek – G – Has hit all four free throw attempts in MIAA play this season.
#21 – Corkey Stiger – G – 64 3-pointers this season is third on single-season chart.
#23 – Jacki Tipping – G – All three rebounds this season have been offensive.
#24 – Karla Tailele – G – Averaging 5.7 ppg in home games this season hitting 14 of 36 3-pointers at home.
#30 – Kalee Silovsky – F – Has hit 4 of 8 3-point attempts in MIAA games this season.
#32 – Janice Bright – G – 34 of 37 from free throw line in home games this season (.919).
#33 – Hope Gregory – G – Needs one more rebound for 100 this season.
#44 – Emily Gibson – F – Will miss the remainder of the season - will have back surgery on 2/28.
#50 – Regiane Araujo – C – Out with a back injury for at least one more week.

Lady Blues in Lee Arena . . .
In their 24th season in Lee Arena, the Lady Blues are 300-56 (.842) overall at home. Washburn won their 300th game against Emporia State on Feb. 23, 2008.
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 109-11 (.908) in home games under Ron McHenry. Five of the 11 losses came in his first year on the Lady Blues bench. In the last seven seasons, Washburn is 101-6 (.944).

Lady Blues history . . .
Washburn is 692-324 (.681 in 1,016 games) in its 38th season of intercollegiate action.

WU in the national poll . . .
(Feb. 12) The Washburn Lady Blues climbed one from up to No. 18 in the latest USA Today/ESPN Top 25 WBCA Coaches Poll which was released today. Overall, Washburn has received votes in the last 106 consecutive polls and has been in the top 25 in 90 consecutive polls. 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.

WU in the Regional poll . . . as of 2/23/08
        (WBCA)D-II Record / In Region / LW
1. West Texas A&M (16)    19-4 / 18-1 / 1
2. Washburn (17)    16-4 / 15-4 / 2
3. Southwest Baptist    15-5 / 14-5 / 4
4. Emporia State (18)    16-4 / 15-4 / 7
5. Missouri Southern    13-7 / 13-7 / 3
6. Central Oklahoma    17-6 / 16-6 / 5
7. Angelo State    19-6 / 18-6 / 6
8. Texas A&M-Commerce    15-7 / 14-7 / 8
9. Northeastern State    13-9 / 13-9 / 9
10. St. Mary's (Texas)    18-3 / 15-2 / 10

Lady Blues Individual Tip Ins . . .
• Corkey Stiger moved into fifth all-time at Washburn in 3-pointers with 111 passing Brenda Shaffer-Dahl and she needs 12 more to move into the top three all-time at Washburn.
• Stiger's 339 3-point attempts is fourth all-time.
• Amanda Holmes is 11th all-time with 242 free throws made and 10th in free throw attempts with 358. She needs four more free throws makes to move into the top 10 all-time.
• Holmes is 11th all-time in rebounds at Washburn with 584. She needs 54 more to move into the top 10 all-time.
• Holmes' 99 career blocked shots is fourth all-time at Washburn needing three to move into sole possession of third place.
• With one more block, Holmes will become only the fourth Lady Blues to record at least 800 points, 500 rebounds, 100 steals and 100 blocks joining Jannica Beam, Laura Mueller and Brenda Shaffer-Dahl.
• Corkey Stiger has averaged 18.0 ppg in the four losses for the Lady Blues. She is the only Washburn player averaging double figures in the four losses. The next highest scorer is Janice Bright at 8.3 ppg.
• In the latest NCAA stats, Jessica Mainz is eighth in the country in assist to turnover ratio (+2.25). Corkey Stiger is 27th in 3-point field goals made per game (2.7) and 78th in 3-point field goal percentage.

Lady Blues Team Tip Ins . . .
• The Lady Blues have held their opponents under 100 points in 276 consecutive games.
• Washburn is averaging 70.2 ppg in MIAA play.
• The Washburn bench is outscoring their opponents this season 524 to 391.
• In the last five minutes of games, Washburn is being outscored by their opponents 261 to 255.
• In the latest NCAA stats, Washburn is ranked sixth in the country in turnovers per game (14.3), 19th in scoring defense (56.3 ppg), 22nd in field goal percentage defense (.354), rebound margin (+7.1), and assist to turnover ratio (+1.02).

Up Next . . .
Following the game with Fort Hays State, Washburn will wrap up the regular season at Central Missouri at 1:30 p.m. With a win in either of the final two games, Washburn will clinch the No. 1 seed in the MIAA Postseason Tournament in Kansas City.