Game Facts Date: Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2010 Time: 5:30 p.m. Site: Topeka, Kan. - Lee Arena (3,904) Radio: 106.9 KTPK Online Audio:  wusports.com Live Stats: wusports.com Internet Streaming: wusports.com

Washburn Lady Blues (14-3, 8-3 MIAA) Polls 15th in USA Today/ESPN Division II Poll Coaches Head Coach: Ron McHenry Alma Mater: Washburn, 84 WU Record:    255-52, 10th season Career Record: 255-52, 10th season Basketball Page Roster Statistics Schedule Game Notes Media Guide Athletic Web Site

Northwest Missouri Bearcats (10-8, 6-5 MIAA) Polls Not ranked in USA Today/ESPN Division II Poll Coaches Head Coach:     Gene Steinmeyer Alma Mater: Nebraska-Kearney, 73 NWMSU Record: 150-153, 11th season Career Record: 510-294, 24th season Basketball Page Roster Statistics Schedule Game Notes Media Guide Athletic Web Site

Lady Blues take on NWMSU
The No. 15-ranked Washburn Lady Blues look to start a new winning streak when they take on Northwest Missouri State on Wednesday night at 5:30 p.m. in Lee Arena.
Washburn ended a three-game losing streak with a 63-55 win over Nebraska-Omaha on Saturday night.
The Bearcats are coming off a 91-62 loss at No. 6 Emporia State on Sunday.

Lady Blues on the air . . .
The Lady Blues game will be broadcast live on Country Legends 106.9 KTPK with Mark Elliott providing the play-by-play and Bruce Steinbrock the color-commentary. The game will also be streamed live online by clicking the live audio button under the Lady Blues Basketball tab on the Washburn athletics web site at www.wusports.com.

The Coaches . . .
Washburn head coach Ron McHenry has posted a 255-52 (.831) overall record, including a 136-37 (.786) record in the MIAA with five MIAA regular season championships and the 2005 NCAA National Championship. McHenry has also led the Lady Blues to five MIAA Postseason Tournament titles including five of the seven played in Kansas City. McHenry has the highest winning percentage (.831) in MIAA history of coaches who have at least 200 wins and the highest among all active head coaches in NCAA-II.
He was named the Lady Blues head coach prior to the 2000-01 season. He leads the country 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 6 of notes.)
Northwest Missouri head coach Gene Steinmeyer, is in his 11th season leading the Bearcat program and his 24th season as a head coach. His record at NWMSU is 150-153, while his career mark stands at 510-294. Last season, he led Northwest to a 9-18 record, including 5-15 in the MIAA.

Last time out for the Lady Blues . . .
Jan. 16, 2010 - TOPEKA, Kan. -- The 15th-ranked Lady Blues built a 16-point second half lead then held off the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks 63-55 to end a three-game losing streak. Washburn returns to action on Wednesday night against Northwest Missouri State. Tip-off in Lee Arena is set for 5:30 p.m.
The Lady Blues (14-3, 8-3 MIAA) didn't make their first field goal until the 17:05 mark of the first half and fell into an early six point hole. A 12-2 run by Washburn put the Lady Blues in front for good at 14-10 with 12:53 to play in the opening period. WU extended the lead to seven with just over six minutes to play on a pair of Dayna Rodriguez free throws. The Mavericks (10-8, 5-6 MIAA) cut the lead to two with just over three minutes to play in the half, but the Lady Blues ended the period on a 7-1 run and led 30-22 at the break.
Two quick buckets by Rodriguez to open the second half gave Washburn a 12 point lead at 34-22. UNO went on a 13-4 over the next 6:23 to cut the lead to three at 38-35. The Lady Blues responded with a 7-0 run to push the lead back to 10. After the Mavs got the lead back to six at 46-40, WU used a 10-0 run to open their biggest lead at 56-40 with 2:59 to play. A 14-4 run by Nebraska-Omaha cut the lead to six with 30 seconds to play, but the Lady Blues iced the game from the free throw line.
Rodriguez led Washburn with 23 points, tying her career-high, and eight rebounds. Hope Gregory added 13 points and Brette Ulsaker had 11. The Lady Blues shot just 34 percent from the floor, 18-of-53, and 21.4 percent from behind the three point line, 3-of-14.
Alyssa Green led UNO with 17 points, while Ashley Nelson added 11. The Mavericks shot 36 percent, 20-of-56, from the floor and 22 percent, 4-of-18, from three.
The Lady Blues forced 22 turnovers, but committed 18 of their own and were out-rebounded 40-38 by the Mavs. WU did have 13 steals, including four by Stevi Schultz.

Notes from the win over Nebraska-Omaha . . .
• Washburn snapped its first three game losing streak since the 2000-01 season
• The Lady Blues extended their streak of consecutive games with at least one 3FG to 188 games
• The Lady Blues made just 3-of-14 3FG and are now 11 for their last 47 from behind the arc
• The Lady Blues have now won five straight games over the Mavericks
• The Lady Blues were out-rebounded for just the fourth time this season, improving to 2-2 when that happens

About NW Missouri State . . .
The Bearcats enter the week with a 10-8 overall record and a 6-5 mark in MIAA play, they are coming off a 91-62 loss at Emporia State on Sunday. NWMSU had won four straight before Sunday's game.
The Bearcats are led in scoring by Gentry Dietz at 15.1 points per game. Two other players, Abby Henry and Gabby Curtis, are averaging in double figures at 14.7 and 13.2 points per outing, respectively. Dietz is also leading the team in rebounding at 7.4 boards per contest.
The Bearcats are averaging 69.9 points per game and are giving up 69.8 per outing. They are allowing 72.8 points per game in their last five outings.
The Bearcats shoot 39 percent from the floor, while their opponents shoot 40 percent. NWMSU is being out-rebounded by almost six rebounds per game, 42.2-36.3.

Washburn/Northwest Missouri State Series Notes . . .
Washburn leads the overall series 41-9 after winning the first meeting this season on Dec. 5 in Maryville. The Lady Blues swept last season's series. The Lady Blues have won three straight games against the Bearcats and 12 of the 16 meetings since 2004.

Last Meeting with NW Missouri State . . .
Dec. 5, 2009 - MARYVILLE, Mo. -- The No. 15-ranked Washburn Lady Blues improved to 6-0 on the season topping Northwest Missouri 67-54 in Bearcat Arena. Washburn will be back in action next Tuesday when they will continue MIAA play against Truman State in Lee Arena on Dec. 12 at 5:30 p.m.
The Lady Blues (6-0, 2-0 MIAA) led 34-21 at the break after hitting 14 of 35 attempts from the field while holding the Bearcats (5-3, 1-1 MIAA) to 8 of 27 shooting including an 0 of 5 line from 3-point range.
Washburn led the entire opening half with the Bearcats gaining a 12-12 tie. From the 12-all knot, the Lady Blues went on a 20-5 run over the next 10 minutes of the half taking the 13-point cushion into the locker room.
In the second half, the Bearcats cut the lead to nine at 43-34 with 13:46 to go, but a 17-3 run over 5-plus minutes stretch in the second half pu the game as the Lady Blues would go on to lead by as many as 25 points in the second half with the Bearcats closing the game on an 18-6 run over the final 6:08 of the game.
Stevi Schultz came off the bench to score a team-high 14 points on 5 of 9 shooting including a 4 of 7 night from 3-point range. Dayna Rodriguez and Amanda Fessenden each scored 10 points. Hope Gregory recorded a career-high 14 rebounds with 11 coming in the first half. She added eight points as well.
The Lady Blues finished 25 of 58 for the game compared to 19 of 58 for the Bearcats. The Lady Blues also dominated on the glass outrebounding the Bearcats 47 to 25 with 16 coming on the offensive glass turning into 20 second chance points for Washburn.
The Lady Blues also had a 14 to 2 advantage in fast break points in the game.

A Win Would . . .
A win would make the Lady Blues 15-3 for the second straight season ... give the Lady Blues a 9-3 MIAA record for the third straight year ... give McHenry a 256-52 overall record ... give Washburn four straight wins over NWMSU and a 42-9 series lead ... give Washburn a 737-335 record in its 41st season of basketball.

A Loss Would . . .
Make the Lady Blues 14-4 for the second time in three seasons ... give the Lady Blues a 8-4 MIAA record for the first time since the 2001-02 season ... give McHenry a 255-53 career record ... snap Washburn's three-game winning streak over the Bearcats ... give Washburn a 736-336 record in 41 years of playing collegiate basketball.

Lady Blues in The MIAA . . .
The Lady Blues are 136-37 (.786) under head coach Ron McHenry in MIAA games and 260-90 (.743) all-time in conference play. 

Lady Blues in Lee Arena . . .
In their 26th season in Lee Arena, the Lady Blues are 321-59 (.845) overall at home. Washburn won their 300th game against Emporia State on Feb. 23, 2008.
The Lady Blues have lost two games at home in the same season for the first time since McHenry's first season in 2000-01.
The longest winning streak was 44 games from Dec. 1, 1990 to March 20, 1993.
The Lady Blues have won 45 straight regular season non-conference games in Lee Arena. The last home loss to a non-conference team in the regular season was to Missouri-St. Louis in a 59-51 setback on Dec. 30, 2000.
Washburn is 130-14 (.903) in home games under Ron McHenry. Five of the 12 losses came in his first year on the Lady Blues bench. In the last nine seasons, Washburn is 122-9 (.931).

Lady Blues History . . .
Washburn is 736-335 (.687 in 1,071 games) in its 41st season of intercollegiate action. The Lady Blues have played in 13 NCAA Tournaments, made five Elite Eight appearances and won the 2005 National Championship.

Celebrating 25 years . . .
The Lady Blues are in their 26th season in Lee Arena. Celebrating the first 25 years, Washburn will welcome back members of the 1984-85 basketball teams, the first to play in Lee Arena, for the February 6 game against Fort Hays State.

Washburn in the National Poll . . .
The Lady Blues fell seven spots to No. 15 in the latest USA Today/ESPN WBCA Coaches Poll following their third straight loss. Emporia State is the only other MIAA team ranked. The Lady Hornets stayed put at No. 6.
The Lady Blues were No. 13 in the final USA Today/ESPN Top 25 WBCA Coaches Poll of the 2009 season. Overall, Washburn has received votes in the last 127 consecutive polls and has been in the top 25 in 111 consecutive polls, the longest current streak in NCAA-II.

Blues Clues . . .
#1 • Chasity Workman • G • 5-10 • Jr. • Scored eight points in Washburn debut
#3 • Brette Ulsaker • G • 5-9 • Sr. • Scored career high 17 points in win at Central Missouri
#5 • Laura Kinderknecht • G • 5-7 • Fr. • Scored career-high 11 points in win over Rockhurst
#10 • Lauren Henry • G • 5-4 • So. • Scored five points in six minutes of action
#14 • Alyssa Mullen • F • 5-11 • Jr. • Hit all four field goal attempts against Southwestern College and scored nine points
#20 • Dana Elliott • F • 5-11 • Fr. • Hit only field goal attempt for two points and had two assists in season opener
#21 • Cassie Lombardino • C • 6-3 • So. • Had career-highs of eight points and five rebounds in win over Truman State
#22 • Ashley Jappa • F • 6-2 • Jr. • Had four blocked shots against Missouri-St. Louis
#25 • Stevi Schultz • G • 5-9 • So. • Has made 6 of her last 28 3FG attempts
#31 • Rose Hammond • G • 5-10 • Sr. • Leads the MIAA with a 2.1 assist-to-turnover ratio
#32 • Amanda Fessenden • G • 5-9 • Sr. • Has made 14 of her last 27 3FG attempts
#33 • Hope Gregory • G • 5-10 • Jr. • Has made 14 of her past 17 free throw attempts
#34 • Sierra Moeller • F • 6-1 • Jr. • Redshirting during the 2009-10 season after transferring from Boise State
#40 • Dayna Rodriguez • F • 6-2 • Sr. • Is 19-of-57 from the floor in the last three games
#42 • Raychel Boling • F • 6-0 • Jr. • Scored 11 points in win over Missouri-St. Louis
#44 • Laura McMullin • F • 6-1 • Fr. • 2-of-3 from the field for four points in first game

Tip-Ins . . .
• The Lady Blues are 1-1 in games played on January 27 under Ron McHenry. All-time Washburn is 6-5 on that date, including 1-0 against Northwest Missouri State.

Up Next . . .
Washburn heads out on the road for games at Missouri Western (Jan. 30) and Truman State (Feb. 3) before returning home for three straight games.