Media Information
Date: Sunday, Dec. 19, 2010
Time: 1:30 p.m.
Location: St. Joseph, Mo.
Arena: MWSU Fieldhouse (3,750)
Television: None
Radio: 106.9 KTPK Topeka with Mark Elliott (pxp) and Bruce Steinbrock (color)
Live Stats: www.gogriffons.com
Audio Web Stream: Through wusports.com
Video Web Stream: Through wusports.com
Complete Game Notes

Lady Blues conclude road trip in St. Joe
The fourth-ranked Lady Blues wrap up their two-game road trip before the holiday break at Missouri Western on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
The Lady Blues are led by three players averaging in double figures. Junior center Cassie Lombardino leads WU at 16.3 points per game. Stevi Schultz is second on the team scoring 12.8 per contest and Laura Kinderknecht is chipping in 10.9 points per outing.
Washburn is coming off a 57-51 win at Truman on Saturday afternoon. The Lady Blues used a 13-3 run during the second half to turn a two point deficit into an eight point lead and they held on for the win in a match-up of previously unbeaten conference teams. Washburn has now won 14 straight MIAA regular season games dating back to last season.
The Lady Blues will face a Griffons squad that is coming off a 76-58 win over Fort Hays State on Saturday afternoon and is 4-3 overall and 2-2 in MIAA play.

Lady Blues on radio . . .
The Lady Blues game at Missouri Western on Sunday will be broadcast on FM 106.9 KTPK Topeka. Mark Elliott will be calling play-by-play action with Bruce Steinbrock providing the color-commentary. The games 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 game will also be webcast through America One Networks. You can access the webcast by clicking on the B2/MIAA advertisement on the lower right side of the Washburn athletics web site main page at www.wuports.com

The Coaches . . .
Washburn head coach Ron McHenry has posted a 276-53 (.839) overall record and a 149-37 (.801) record in the MIAA with six MIAA regular season championships and the 2005 NCAA National Championship. McHenry has also led the Lady Blues to six MIAA Postseason Tournament titles, including six of the eight played in Kansas City. McHenry has the highest winning percentage (.838) 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 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 2004, 2005 and 2010 and the Division II Bulletin National Coach of the Year in 2005. (complete bio on page 6 of notes.)
Missouri Western head coach Lynn Plett, is in his fourth season leading the Griffons. He has MWSU off to a 4-3 start this season, including 2-2 in MIAA play. His record at Missouri Western stands at 29-59, while his career record in his 17th season as a head coach stands at 305-293. Last season, the Tabor graduate led the Griffons to a 7-20 overall record and an 11th place finish in the MIAA at 5-15.

Last time out for the Lady Blues . . .
December 11, 2010 - KIRKSVILLE, Mo. -- The fourth-ranked Lady Blues held off the Truman Bulldogs 57-51 on Saturday afternoon behind Cassie Lombardino's career-high 29 points. Washburn is back in action next Sunday at Missouri Western at 1:30 p.m.
The Lady Blues (8-0, 4-0 MIAA) raced out of the gates to an early 11-point advantage at 13-2 with 12:13 to play in the opening half. The Bulldogs (4-3, 3-1 MIAA) responded with a 19-8 run to tie the game at 21-21 with 2:52 to play in the half. Washburn briefly regained the lead on a jumper from Laura Kinderknecht, but Truman scored six of the final eight points of the half to take a 27-25 lead into the intermission.
The teams went back-and-forth to start the second half with Washburn grabbing a 36-35 lead with 13:30 to play on a pair of Lombardino free throws, Washburn's first free throw attempts of the game. The Bulldogs went back in front 38-36 on a three from Nicole Gloor.
The Lady Blues regained the lead for good at 39-38 on a Lombardino jumper with 10:55 to play in the game. A pair of free throws from Stevi Schultz pushed the lead to three at 41-38 with 9:18 to play in the game.
The Bulldogs got to within one at 41-40, but Lombardino scored six straight points for Washburn and the lead grew to eight at 49-41 with 4:04 to play. TSU got back to within four at 55-51 with 28 seconds left in the game, but Lombardino made 2-of-4 from the charity stripe to ice the game.
Lombardino led Washburn with a career-high 29 points on 12-of-19 shooting. She was 5-of-8 from the foul line and also added five rebounds. Schultz finished with nine points and Alyssa Mullen had eight points, seven rebounds and a career-high six assists for the Lady Blues.
Washburn shot 45 percent (22-of-49) from the floor, but were just 2-of-15 from beyond the arc for 13 percent. WU made 11-of-14 from the charity stripe for 79 percent, but were out-rebounded by the Bulldogs 39-27.
Breanna Daniels led Truman with 14 points, while Gloor added 13. Becka McHenry had eight points and a game-high 10 boards for the Bulldogs, who shot 31 percent from both the floor (16-of-52) and beyond the three point line (4-of-13). TSU was 15-of-23 from the free throw line for 65 percent.
Washburn dished out 16 assists compared to just six for the Bulldogs andd forced TSU into 16 turnovers, while committing 10 of their own.
The win was the 17th straight over Truman for the Lady Blues and their eighth straight in Kirksville.

Notes from the win over Truman . . .
• Washburn improved to 4-0 in MIAA play for the third straight season
• Washburn won its 14th straight MIAA regular season game dating back to last season
• Washburn won its 17th straight game against the Bulldogs
• The Lady Blues improved to 39-8 all-time against Truman

Washburn/Missouri Western series notes . . .
Washburn leads the series with Missouri Western 42-37 and the Lady Blues are 18-9 against the Griffons under Ron McHenry. The Blues have won eight straight games in the series, including the last three in St. Joseph.

About Missouri Western . . .
The Griffons are 4-3 overall and 2-2 in MIAA play after a 76-58 win over win over Fort Hays State on Saturday. Missouri Western trailed 35-32 at halftime of that game, but shot 50 percent in the second half and out-scored the Lady Tigers 44-23 to get the win.
Jessica Koch leads the Griffons averaging 17.6 points per game. Lauren Nolke and Rachel Luteyn also average in double figures scoring 12.9 and 11.7 points per contest, respectively. Brenna Saline leads the squad in rebounding at 8.1 per outing, while Koch pulls down 6.9 boards per game.
Missouri Western shoots 41 percent from the field and 31 percent from three-point range, while making 74 percent of their free throw attempts.
The Griffons hold their opponents to 35 percent shooting and just 29.6 percent from beyond the arc. Opponents are making 65 percent of their tries from the charity stripe.
MWSU is averaging 70.9 points per game and holding opponents to 62.6.

Last Time out for Missouri Western . . .
December 11, 2010 - ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The Griffon women's basketball team outscored the Fort Hays State Lady Tigers 44-23 in the second half to come away with the 76-58 victory in St. Joseph on Saturday afternoon. Rachel Luteyn led the way collecting a double-double scoring a season high 21 points and collecting ten rebounds. Western improves to 4-3 overall and 2-2 in MIAA action.
The Griffons opened up the contest on fire hitting its first three shots with one being a three pointer from Lauren Nolke taking a 7-0 lead at the 17:54 mark of the game. The Lady Tigers responded nicely with a three point play by Rhys Pihl and a three pointer from Crista Bechard cutting the Griffon lead to 7-6 at the 14:37 mark of the half.
The Griffons took another seven point lead at 17-10 after a Colleen Schneider long range bomb with 10:29 to play. Fort Hays State went on a 10-2 run taking its first lead o the contest with 5:42 to play in the frame after a Kara Champlin layup. The Lady Tigers built its lead to four twice and were able to take a 35-32 lead into halftime.
The Lady Tigers outscored the Griffons 18 to seven off the bench and had eight second chance points to the Griffons two. Western out-rebounded the Lady Tigers 24 to 18 but turned the ball over nine times to Lady Tigers two.
Western made 4-of-11 long range shots with Nolke making all three of her attempts. Rachel Luteyn led the way with 10 points while Brenna Saline had six boards. Western had 11 assists on its 14 field goals in the frame. The Lady Tigers connected on 13-of-37 field goal attempts with Bechard leading the way with eight points.
The Lady Tigers extended its three point halftime lead to seven twice early in the second half at 39-32 and 40-33. Western responded nicely going on an 18-6 run to take at 51-46 lead with 11:15 to play after two Nolke free throws. Western continued to play well down the stretch closing on a 14-2 run in the final five minutes to claim the 18 point victory.
In the second half the Griffons had 16 points in the paint to go along with seven points off turnovers and 10 second chance points. Luteyn scored 11 points while Koch and Nolke each dumped in 10 points in the second half.
The Griffons shot 46.8-percent (29-62) from the field and made 8-of-21 long range shots. They out-rebounded the Lady Tigers 47 to 34 and had 20 assists and four blocks in the game. Western dominated the points in the paint outscoring the Lady Tigers 22 to 10.
Koch finished the game with a double-double scoring 12 points and collecting a season high 11 rebounds. Nolke tied a career best with five three point baskets on her way to 19 points while Schneider dumped in 12 points going 5-of-8 from the field.
The Lady Tigers were led by Champlin with 15 points and Bechard with 11. Fort Hays State shot just 30.8-percent (20-65) from the field and 8-of-32 from long range.

Last Meeting Between Washburn and Missouri Western . . .
January 30, 2010 - ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- The No. 15-ranked Washburn Lady Blues jumped out to a 23-6 lead and never looked back as they swept the season series topping Missouri Western 74-44 in the MWSU Fieldhouse. Washburn (16-3, 10-3 MIAA) will be back in action on Wednesday when they travel to Kirsksville, Mo., to face Truman.
Amanda Fessenden paced the Lady Blues opening half attack scoring 12 points as she hit her first four 3-point attempts in the opening period. The Lady Blues held the Griffons to 6 of 26 shooting from the field and 1 of 11 from 3-point range. Washburn hit 44 percent of its attempts going 16 of 36 from the field building a lead as many as 25 in the first half at 42-17 going into the halftime locker room.
In the second half, the Lady Blues cooled off from the field connecting on 28 percent of their shots hitting 10 of 36 attempts while stretching the lead to as many as 30 in the game.
Fessenden finished with 15 points adding another 3-pointer in the second half and Dayna Rodriguez finished in double figures with 12 points just missing a double-double with nine rebounds. Hope Gregory led the Lady Blues on the glass recording 11 rebounds. Rose Hammond returned to the starting line up and scored eight points with four assists and four steals.
After being out-rebounded in the last two games, the Lady Blues finished the game with a 56-32 advantage including a 29 to 14 in the first half. Of Washburn's 56 rebounds, 22 were on the offensive end leading to 24 second chance points. The Griffons finished with four second chance points.
Jessica Koch had 13 to lead the Griffons and Kayla Vice had 10.
The Lady Blues finished the game 26 of 72 from the field for a 36 percent average. The Griffons were held at 29 percent for the game hitting 16 of 55 attempts.

A Win Would . . .
A win would make the Lady Blues 9-0 for the third straight season ... give Washburn a 43-37 lead in the series with Missouri Western ... give WU a 5-0 MIAA start for the third straight season ... give the Lady Blues nine straight wins over the Griffons and four straight wins in St. Joseph ... give Washburn a 758-336 record in 42 years of basketball.

A Loss Would . . .
A loss would give the Lady Blues an 8-1 record for the second time in four years ... snap Washburn's eight-game winning streak against Missouri Western ... snap Washburn's three-game winning streak at MWSU Fieldhouse ... drop the Lady Blues to 4-1 in the MIAA for the first time since the 2007-08 season ... give Washburn a 757-337 record in 42 years of basketball.

Against Ranked Opponents . . .
The Lady Blues are 38-23 when facing a ranked opponent under Ron McHenry. Washburn was 2-1 against ranked competition last year. The Lady Blues are 11-5 against ranked teams over the past three seasons.

Lady Blues in The MIAA . . .
The Lady Blues are 149-37 (.801) under head coach Ron McHenry in MIAA games and 273-90 (.752) all-time in conference play.  

Lady Blues in Lee Arena . . .
In their 27th season in Lee Arena, the Lady Blues are 331-59 (.849) 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 47 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 140-14 (.909) in home games under Ron McHenry. Five of the 14 losses came in his first year on the Lady Blues bench. In the last 10 seasons, Washburn is 132-9 (.936).

Lady Blues on the road . . .
The Lady Blues are 78-30 (.722) on the road under Ron McHenry. Washburn's best road record under McHenry was 8-0 during the 2005-06 season. The Lady Blues were 10-1 on the road last season, including 9-1 during MIAA play.

Lady Blues History . . .
Washburn is 757-336 (.693 in 1,093 games) in its 42nd season of intercollegiate action. The Lady Blues have won seven MIAA regular season titles and eight MIAA postseason tournament championships since becoming eligible for conference championships in 1990-91.

Washburn in the National Poll . . .
Washburn is holding steady at No. 4 in the latest WBCA USA Today/ESPN Division II Top 25 Coaches' Poll.
The Lady Blues were No. 10 in the final USA Today/ESPN Top 25 WBCA Coaches Poll of the 2009-10 season. Overall, Washburn has received votes in the last 141 consecutive polls and has been ranked in the top 25 in 125 consecutive polls, the longest active streak in NCAA-II.

Blues Clues . . .
#1 • Naudia Campbell • C • 6-2 • Jr. • Scored 16 points with eight rebounds in her Washburn debut
#4 • Lindy Arndt • G • 5-11 • Fr. • Hit two 3FG's in win over CSU Dominguez Hills
#5 • Laura Kinderknecht • G • 5-7 • So. • Scored a career-high 17 points in the win over UNO
#10 • Dana Channel • G •5-10 • Fr. • Scored four points in the win over Fort Hays State
#14 • Alyssa Mullen • F • 5-11 • Sr. • Scored career-high 17 points in the win over Northwest Missouri State
#15 • Sami McHenry • G • 5-8 • Fr. • Has one rebound and one assist seeing action in two games this season
#20 • Dana Elliott • F • 5-11 • So. • Tied career-high with five points in just four minutes of action against Drury
#21 • Cassie Lombardino • C • 6-3 • Jr. • Scored career-high 29 points on 12-of-19 shooting in the win at Truman State
#22 • Megan Lassley • G • 5-4 • Jr. • Scored 15 points in first game as a Lady Blue
#24 • Ebonie Williams • G • 5-8 • Sr. • Will sit out the 2010-11 season after transferring from Seton Hall
#25 • Stevi Schultz • G • 5-9 • Jr. • Scored career-high 26 points to go along with 11 rebounds in the win over Fort Hays State
#32 • Sierra Moeller • F • 6-1 • Jr. • Suffered a season-ending injury in exhibition game at Kansas State
#33 • Amy Green • G • 5-10 • Jr. • Grabbed four boards in 13 minutes in first game for Washburn
#42 • Raychel Boling • F • 6-0 • Sr. • Grabbed career-high seven boards in season-opening win over Southwestern
#44 • Laura McMullin • F • 6-1 • So. • Scored five points and grabbed five rebounds in season-opening win over Southwestern

Tip-Ins . . .
• The Lady Blues are 5-0 in games played on December 19, including 3-0 under Ron McHenry.

Up Next . . .
The Lady Blues are off for the holiday break until MIAA play resumes on Dec. 31 at home against Central Missouri at 1:30 p.m.