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TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Washburn Ichabods improved to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in the MIAA with a 74-67 win over Northwest Missouri. The Ichabods will be back in action on Wednesday when they will face Fort Hays State wrapping up a three-game homestand.

The Bearcats (2-4, 0-2 MIAA) jumped jumped out to an early 5-0 lead on a 3-pointer by Shaneel Narayan before De'Andre Washington answered with a three of his own for the Ichabods' first points of the game. The Bearcats pushed the lead back to six at 15-9 before five straight Ichabod points by Bobby Chipman cut the Northwest lead to one at 15-14. The Ichabods (5-1, 2-0 MIAA) took the lead for good in the first half on a lay up by Logan Stutz capping a 13-0 run putting Washburn up 24-15 with 8:44 to play in the half. Northwest cut back into the lead to two at 33-31 with 1:40 to play on a lay up by Kyle Haake, but a lay up by Stutz and a 3-pointer at the buzzer by Washington sent Washburn into the locker room with a 38-31 halftime cushion.

Both teams hit at least half of their shots in the first half as Washburn was 13 of 24 for 54 percent and the Bearcats were 11 of 22 for 50 percent.

In the second half, Washburn pushed its lead to seven on a 3-pointer by Nate Daniels. Northwest would rally and eventually take the lead at 49-47 on a free throw by DeShaun Cooper. A 3-pointer by Virgil Philistin from the corner put Washburn back up by one, again Northwest would regain the lead at three twice with under nine minutes to play with the final time coming at 55-52 with 7:52 to play. A pair of free throws by Daniels cut the lead to one, followed by a lay up by Stutz and a 3-pointer by Daniels pushed the lead back to four with 5:19 to play. A 3-pointer by Narayan cut the lead to one at 61-60, but the Bearcats would get no closer than four the remainder of the way as Washburn won 74-67.

Stutz led the Ichabods with 25 points on 8 of 10 shooting while hitting 9 of 10 from the free throw line. Washington had 17 points and Daniels had 10. Elijah Allen led Northwest with 15 points while Narayan and Cooper each had 14 while Haake had 13.

Washburn finished 23 of 48 from the field for the game for a 48 percent average while the Bearcats were 21 of 48 for a 44 percent mark.

Washburn outrebounded the Bearcats 29 to 28. The teams combined for 15 turnovers with the Bearcats coughing the ball up nine times. Washburn had 32 of its 74 points in the paint.