Box Score | Season Stats
HAYS, Kan. -- A second half comeback attempt fell short as the Washburn Ichabods dropped a 68-55 decision to No. 13-ranked Fort Hays State. The Ichabods will be back in action in the second of three straight games against nationally-ranked teams on the road when they travel to No. 1-ranked Central Missouri on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in Warrensburg.
The Ichabods (7-5, 1-4 MIAA) cut the 10-point halftime lead to six at 41-35 with 13:58 to go before the Tigers (10-1, 4-0 MIAA) pushed the lead back to 13 in the half with just over eight minutes to go. The Ichabods worked the deficit to eight at 59-51 on a 3-pointer by
Nate Wallace with 5:11 to go, but the Tigers responded with a 3-pointer of their own and the Ichabods would get no closer than nine the rest of the way.
The first half saw the Ichabods fall behind by as many as 13 at the 6:55 mark of the half before cutting the Fort Hays State advantage to seven on two difference ocassions before a late 3-pointer by the Tigers' Willie Hassell put the Tigers up 10 at 36-26 which was the score going into the break. The Ichabods were 10 of 27 in the half while the Tigers finished the opening stanza 15 of 28 for a 53 percent clip. The Tigers also hit 4 of 3 3-point attempts while Washburn was 3 of 10.
The Ichabods were led by De'Andre Washington who scored 18 points with a team-high seven rebounds. Wallace finished in double figures with 15 points on 6 of 8 shooting from the field including a 3 of 3 performance from 3-point range.
Dominique Jones scored a team-high 21 points off the bench to pace the Tigers. Ken Bowman had a double double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
The Ichabods finished the game shooting 40 percent from the field hitting 20 of 50 attempts while the Tigers were 25 of 48 for a 52 percent average.
Washburn struggled from the free throw line hitting 8 of 18 attempts while committing 14 turnovers leading to 10 points for the Tigers.
Fort Hays held a 36 to 28 advantage on the glass as the Tiger reserves outscored the Ichabod bench 30 to 5.
