MIAA Semifinal Washburn Ichabods vs Northwest Missouri State Bearcats Saturday, March 7, 2008 8:15 p.m. Complete Game Notes in PDF

Where: Kansas City, Mo.
Arena: Municipal Auditorium
Capacity: 9,827
Rankings: Both teams unranked in February 26 NABC national poll
WU Record: 18-10, 9-9 MIAA
NWMSU Record: 21-7, 12-6 MIAA
Series Record: WU 52-31
Last Meeting: WU 71-61 on 02/28/08 (H)
Last NWMSU win: 87-85 on 02/14/07 (A)
WU Coach Bob Chipman: 646-250 (.721) in his 29th season at WU and overall
NWMSU Coach Steve Tappmeyer: 393-192 (.672) in his 20th season at NWMSU and overall

  

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Ichabods move on with upset, will face NWMSU in MIAA semifinal Saturday night
After a strong performance from Andrew Meile in Friday's first round game, the Ichabods will take on No. 2 seeded Northwest Missouri Saturday at 8:15 in an MIAA Championship Tournament semifinal. No. 6 Washburn upset third-seeded Central Missouri 79-68 Friday while the Bearcats defeated No. 7 Pittsburg State 71-42.
   
The Ichabods are 18-10 this year while the Bearcats are 21-7. Two of NWMSU's losses came against WU as the Ichabods swept the regular season series.
  
The game will be carried live on 106.9 FM KTPK throughout the Topeka area and will be streamed live at wusports.com for free by following the link under men's basketball. Fans can find a link there to watch free live stats of all tournament games.
   
Notes of Interest
• Washburn is 26-11 overall in the MIAA tournament, 8-5 in semifinals and 6-3 in Municipal Auditorium. The Ichabods are 3-3 against NWMSU in the tournament.
• The No. 6 seed is WU's lowest in the tournament since its first year there, 1990-91.
• Washburn is 16-0 when leading at the half and 14-1 when leading with five minutes remaining.
• Andrew Meile is averaging 18.5 points a game this year against NWMSU and shooting 69 percent in the two games.
• Washburn is 3-3 against the remaining three teams in the tournament.
• The Ichabods are 3-6 in five-point games. They are shooting 21 percent (3 of 14) from the field during the final minute in the six losses.
   
About the Bearcats
The Bearcats defeated No. 7 Pittsburg State Friday to advance to the second round and win their fourth straight game. Hunter Henry leads the team in scoring with 13.6 points a game and 7.3 rebounds and he's shooting 53 percent from the field. Lance Sullivan averages 11.6 points a game.

This year agianst NWMSU
The Ichabods swept the Bearcats this year after being swept by Northwest Missouri in each of the last two years. Washburn defeated NWMSU 61-56 on the road on January 12 when the Bearcats were ranked 16th and then WU won 71-61 at home on February 13. Andrew Meile scored 37 points in the two games while shooting 69 percent from the field and 62 percent from 3-point range. He averaged 18.5 points a game while Paul Byers scored 11.0 a game. Meile led the team in scoring in both games as he had 24 at home and 13 at NWMSU..

Ichabods down to the wire in close games
The Ichabods lost their last two regular season games by a total of eight points and they had chances to tie both the games in the final seconds. This year the Ichabods are 3-6 in five-point games and they have lost four straight. In the final minute of games lost by five points or less, Washburn is shooting 21 percent (3 of 14) from the field and 50 percent (5 of 10) from the free throw line. In those six losses the Ichabods have allowed their opponent to shoot 25 free throws in the final minute while shooting just 10 of their own. In their three wins by five points or less, the Ichabods are shooting 71 percent (5 of 7) in the final minute and are 10 of 14 from the free throw line. Andrew Meile is 5 of 6 from the line in those three wins while James Williams is 4 of 5.

Ichabods plagued by free throw percentage
Washburn was ninth in the MIAA at the start of the week shooting .648 from the free throw line this year. The Ichabods are just 63 percent in the final five minutes of games and 59 percent in their 10 losses. They shoot best in the first half, 72 percent, while shooting just 61 percent in the second half.
   
Eight times this year the Ichabods have shot less than 60 percent from the line in games with a season low 41 percent performance coming January 2 at Missouri Western when they were 7 of 17 from the line in a one-point loss.

Washburn returns to MIAA tournament after two-year drought, three players bring postseason experience
Washburn will be looking for its fifth MIAA tournament championship as it makes its 16th appearance in the event. The Ichabods had been in every tournament since becoming eligible in 1990-91 until missing the last two years. They are 26-11 record in the tournament and have a 14-2 record in first round games. They are 6-3 in Municipal Auditorium and 3-3 overall against Northwest Missouri i in the MIAA tournament. WU is 8-5 in the semifinals and 4-4 in the finals.
   
Three Ichabod seniors have experience in the postseason. Kyle Snyder, a fifth-year senior, played in the 2003-04 and 2004-05 tournaments, appearing in four games with four points and 10 rebounds. Andrew Meile and Brady Sisk each played in Washburn's two games in 2004-05 with Meile recording two points and Sisk grabbing two rebounds.
   
Washburn coach Bob Chipman has been with Washburn in every MIAA postseason appearance, making him 26-11 in the tournament and 3-3 against NWMSU.

Snyder named all-MIAA honorable mention  
Senior forward Kyle Snyder was named to the all-MIAA honorable mention team announced Monday by the conference office. The senior forward is the Ichabods' leading rebounder and is third in the MIAA this year with 8.3 rebounds a game at the start of the week.
   
Snyder has recorded five double-doubles this year and he's reached double figures in rebounding 12 times. He's averaging 7.0 points a game and is shooting 53 percent from the field. In MIAA games he averaged 7.7 points and 8.9 rebounds.

Ichabods unbeaten when leading at halftime, have five second half comebacks
The Ichabods are 16-0 when leading at halftime this year. Conversely, they are 2-10 when trailing at the half. Washburn has trailed at halftime in 11 of the 18 MIAA games this year and the Ichabods have trailed at some point in the second half 15 times this year and have come back to win five times.
   
Washburn was behind by six, 49-43 with 10:38 remaining February 20 against Northwest Missouri. The Ichabods fought back and tied the score three times before taking the lead for good at 2:30. The Ichabods trailed by a point at halftime to Truman on January 19 and by as much as five in the second half before coming back for a 59-50 win. They were down by as much as 11 at Fort Hays State and at Southwest Baptist before coming back and then falling short in one-point losses.
   
At Northwest Missouri the Ichabods trailed the Bearcats by four points, 49-45 at the 6:40 mark of the second half before rallying for a four-point win. Washburn's biggest second half comeback this year came at home against Central Missouri on January 5. The Ichabods trailed by five at halftime and then three minutes into the period they were down by nine points. Washburn came back for an 82-76 win. Washburn also managed a comeback at home December 4 against Central Oklahoma, turning around a four-point deficit at 4:08 for a 71-68 win.

The Ichabods when shooting 50 percent or better...
The Ichabods are 6-2 when shooting 50 percent or better from the field this year. The win Wednesday against NWMSU was the first MIAA win when shooting that well. Before that, all five of the wins came in the non-conference season with the most recent being December 18 at St. Mary's when the Ichabods were actually out-shot, 53 percent to 50 percent, but held on for a 77-75 win. That game was also the last of three straight that the Ichabods made at least half of their shots.
   
Washburn is averaging 85.3 points a game when shooting at least 50 percent and is holding opponents to 69.9 points. Washburn's most efficient night from the field came November 16 when it was 54 percent, making 37 of 68 field goals. The Ichabods were also 53 percent from 3-point range that night (10 for 19).
   
The Ichabods are 15-4 overall this year when out-shooting their opponents and 1-5 when their opponent shoots at least 50 percent.

Ichabods enjoyed strong homecourt advantage at Lee Arena
The Ichabods finished the season 11-2 in home games this year after losing by three points to FHSU Wednesday. Overall, they out-scored opponents by 15.5 points a game. They score 78.8 points a game at home and shoot 47 percent while the visitors score 63.3 points with 39 percent shooting.
   
Grant Hargett led the Ichabods in scoring in home games with 10.6 per game after he had a career-high 18 last Saturday against ESU. Kyle Snyder led the team shooting 59 percent in Lee Arena and Andrew Meile was second on the team with 9.7 points a game. Snyder also leads the team with 9.2 rebounds a game.
   
Washburn began playing in Lee Arena in 1984-85 and has gone 318-57 (.848) in the 24th season there.

Meile in the top 10 in six Washburn career records
Senior guard Andrew Meile had five 3-pointers Friday against UCM to move to sixth all-time at Washburn with 160 in his career.
   
He entered the top 10 in career steals after he had five February 20 against NWMSU. He now has 107 in his four years, the ninth most at WU. He needs two more to catch Mike Dickerson, who had 109 from 1986-90.
   
Meile is also in the top 10 in 3-pointers attempted, 3-point percentage and games started. He is sixth in 3-point attempts with 387 and eighth in 3-point shooting percentage at 41 percent.
   
Meile has started every game the last two years and 80 in his career, the seventh most in school history.
   
Meile recorded his first career double-double with a career-high 10 rebounds Friday against Central Missouri. He had 23 points off 7-of-9 shooting and he was 5 of 7 from the 3-point line.
   
Meile has scored 20 or more points in three of the last seven games and he's averaging 14.6 in that stretch.
   
Meile leads the team in scoring during conference games with 10.5 per game and he's a 51 percent shooter from the field and from 3-point range. Overall he is averaging 9.4 points a game after scoring a career-high 25 against Southwest Baptist with a career-high six 3-pointers on February 13. He matched that total against NWMSU and scored 24 points February 20.

Ichabods are 10-3 when Sisk scores in double figures
Senior forward Brady Sisk leads the team in scoring with 10.0 points a game and he's first shooting .530 from the field. He has reached double figures 13 times this year and the Ichabods are 10-3 when he reaches double figures and 5-1 when he leads the team in scoring. Sisk led Washburn with 19 points February 27 against FHSU, marking the first time the team lost when he led in scoring.
   
In nine starts this year he is averaging 11.6 points a game and shooting .661 percent from the field. Off the bench he is just a 47 percent shooter.

Point guard Mario Scott leads the Ichabods offense
Sophomore guard Mario Scott leads the team with 105 assists and his 3.74 per game when the week started was fourth best in the MIAA. At Missouri Western he had 10 assists to become the first Ichabod to reach double figures since Jerad Head did it in 2004-05. Scott also leads the team with 39 steals and 1.44 per game. Scott had 19 points against Missouri Western and he scored a season-high 20 points off the bench at Fort Hays State. He has reached double figures eight times and is averaging 6.9 points and 3.5 rebounds.

Byers moves to fourth on career blocking chart  
Junior forward Paul Byers has moved into a tie for fourth all-time at Washburn in career blocks, now with 67. He had 17 blocks last year and in 2005-06, his freshman year, he had 31, the eighth highest single-season total at Washburn. Byers begins the year fifth in school history with 0.9 blocks a game. Byers has 19 blocks this year with a team season-high of three three times this year.
   
Byers scored a season-high 17 points against ESU Wednesday and overall he is scoring 8.5 points a game and he's second on the team shooting .520 from the field.
Kyle Snyder leads Ichabods in rebounds
After limited playing time last year with an injury, senior Kyle Snyder has played in every game this year and has started 12 at forward. He leads the team and is third in the MIAA with 8.3 rebounds this year and he is scoring 7.0 points a game and shooting 53 percent.
   
Snyder has reached double figures in rebounds in six of the last eight games and he has double-doubles in four of the last eight games. In that eight-game stretch he is averaging 10.5 points and 11.1 rebounds a game and he's shooting 55 percent.
   
As a starter Snyder is averaging 9.8 points and 9.8 rebounds and shooting 58 percent from the field. Off the bench he scores 4.9 points with 7.1 rebounds while shooting 47 percent.
   
Snyder had a season-high 16 rebounds Saturday at Central Missouri and he scored a career-high 19 points February 13 against Southwest Baptist.

Hargett continues to start for Ichabods
Senior guard Grant Hargett has started the last seven games and 14 of the last 16. Hargett led the Ichabods in 13 home games with 10.6 points a game while shooting 50 percent. Overall he is averaging 8.1 points a game and is shooting 47 percent. In his 14 starts he is averaging 2.8 assists.
   
Hargett started against ESU February 23 and tied his career high with 18 points with four 3-pointers. In a start against Truman on January 19 he scored 17 points, all in the second half as the Ichabods won 59-50. He was 5 of 7 from the field in the second half and 5 of 6 from the free throw line.

Washburn 4-0 in neutral site games but 7-8 overall on the road  
The Ichabods are 4-0 playing teams on a neutral court as they will this weekend in the MIAA tournament. Washburn defeated Lincoln and Upper Iowa in the Missouri Western Classic in November and then topped Southeastern Oklahoma State in the St. Mary's Classic in December.
   
The Ichabods went 3-8 in true road games this year and 7-8 away from home, counting the neutral games.

Ichabods return to Municipal Auditorium after exhibition with UMKC  
Despite a two-year drought from playing in the MIAA tournament, this will not be the first trip to Kansas City, Mo., and Municipal Auditorium for all of the Ichabods. Washburn played an exhibition against Missouri-Kansas City on November 13 and lost by four points, 79-75, to the NCAA Division I Kangaroos. Four Ichabods reached double figures in the game with Andrew Meile leading with 19 points off 7-of-12 shooting and five 3-pointers. Paul Byers and Grant Hargett each had 12 points and Darnell Kimble was 4 of 4 for 11 points.

Ichabods bench stretched thin second half of season
Washburn has lost three players (Nate Daniels and Dei Dei, academics and Angel Santiago, personal reasons) since the second half of the season and is down to 10 uniformed players. In the last eight games, since losing Santiago, the Ichabods have had just five players to go to off the bench and three who have been used regularly. Brady Sisk leads the bench players with 54 points in those eight games.
   
The Washburn bench is averaging just 16.8 points a game in the last eight while the starters are scoring 52.0 with Andrew Meile leading with 13.1 a game.

Bods and Ends  
• Andrew Meile leads the MIAA shooting .466 from 3-point range at the start of the week.
• Washburn leads the MIAA in rebounding with 39.3 a game and in rebound margin at +5.7.
• The Ichabods are 16-0 when leading at halftime this year and 14-1 when leading with five minutes remaining.
• The Ichabods are 31-24 all-time in overtimes with one win this year. Washburn is 6-7 all-time in 13 games that went into at least double-overtime.

Final notes on the MIAA first round game against Central Missouri
• In the 82nd meeting between the two schools, Washburn tied the series record at 41-41.
• Once again Andrew Meile and Grant Hargett started at guard and Paul Byers, Kyle Snyder and Darnell Kimble started at forward. This is the sixth time this combination has started and the five are 5-1 when starting together. Meile and Byers have started every game this year and Meile has started 68 straight games. His last non-start was December 30, 2005, at Truman.
• Andrew Meile had his first career double-double, 113 games into his four-year career. He had 23 points and a career-high 10 rebounds.
• Washburn improved to 4-0 against UCM in the MIAA tournament. The Ichabods are 26-11 all-time in the tournament, 14-2 in first round game and 6-3 in Municipal Auditorium.

A winning history
• The Ichabods are 1,355-934 (.592 in 2,289 games) and are in their 103rd season of basketball.
• In their 24th season in Lee Arena, the Ichabods are 318-57 (.848).
• In 19 seasons now as an NCAA II school, the Ichabods have 10 NCAA tournament appearances and nine MIAA titles.
• Washburn won the 1986-87 NAIA national championship with a 35-4 record under head coach Bob Chipman in his eighth year as coach.
• The Ichabods suffered their first losing season in 2005-06 since 1976-77 and first of head coach Bob Chipman's career. They also failed to advance to the MIAA tournament for the first time since joining the league in 1989-90.

The rest of the tournament field
Washburn is 3-3 against the remaining three opponents in the tournament. The Ichabods swept Northwest Missouri State, were swept by Fort Hays State and split with Emporia State.