Complete Game Notes (PDF)

Southwestern (3-4)
Date: Wed., Nov. 16
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Topeka, Kan.
Radio: 106.9 FM KTPK
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Series Record: WU 9-3
Last Meeting: WU 91-60 on 11/15/10

East Central
Date: Fri., Nov. 18
Time: 5:00 p.m.
Location: Wichita Falls, Texas
Radio: 106.9 FM KTPK
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Series Record: WU 1-0
Last Meeting: WU 79-62 on 11/27/99

at Midwestern State
Date: Sat., Nov. 19
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Wichita Falls, Texas
Radio: 106.9 FM KTPK
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Live Stats
Series Record: WU 2-0
Last Meeting: WU 67-56 on 03/14/03

The 11th-ranked Lady Blues will look to stay unbeaten as they wrap up a busy week by playing three games in four days. Washburn (4-0) will play Southwestern in Lee Arena Wednesday at 7 p.m. and then play twice in the Midwestern State Comfort Inn Ashbrook Classic. Friday the Lady Blues play East Central at 5 p.m. and Saturday they play the Mustangs at 7 p.m.
Washburn had a school-record 92-point win over Tabor Monday night in the home opener. Five Lady Blues scored in double figures led by freshman Brittney Lynch with 16 points.

Southwestern will come to Topeka with a 3-4 record after defeating York, 73-52 on Monday. The Moundbuilders are counting Wednesday's game as an exhibition. East Central opens its season by hosting St. Gregory's Tuesday at 7 p.m. before coming to the MSU Classic. The Mustangs are 1-0 and they will play at Newman Tuesday before returning home for the weekend action. They play Central Missouri, the other team in the four-team classic, Friday at 7.

Wrapping up the Tabor game
TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Lady Blues started their Lee Arena opener on a 31-2 run and cruised to a 111-19 win over Tabor Monday night in Lee Arena. The 92-point victory was No. 11 Washburn's biggest win in school history. The Lady Blues (4-0) will continue action at home Wednesday when they host Southwestern at 7 p.m., the second of four games this week for Washburn.

Along with the school-record 92-point win, the 111 points scored is third most in Washburn history. The Lady Blues scored a school-record 120 in 1991 against Missouri-St. Louis. The 19 points allowed is tied for the second lowest output allowed. They allowed 15 to Marymount in 1973 and 19 to Missouri Southern in 1971.

Five Lady Blues scored in double figures with freshman Brittney Lynch leading with 16. She was 6 of 10 from the field and also had a game-high nine rebounds. Cassie Lombardino was also 6 of 10 for 12 points. Stevi Schultz hit three 3-pointers in the first half and ended the game with 14 points. Megan Lassley hit 4 of 5 3-point attempts and scored 14 points. Sierra Moeller was 5 of 7 from the field for 11 points.

Washburn distributed the ball well as a team, getting 31 assists off 45 made baskets. Dana Elliott led with six and Ebonie Williams had five. Eleven other players had at least one.

The Lady Blues (0-5) shot 56 percent from the field and held the Lady Jays to 5 of 29 (13 percent) shooting and forced 32 turnovers. Washburn had 23 steals off the NAIA school that counted the game as an exhibition in its season record.

The Lady Blues started the game on a 9-0 run and then gave up a Tabor basket. Washburn scored 20 straight after that and then had 44 points on the board before the Lady Jays had five. The Lady Blues held a 49-8 halftime lead.

Washburn didn't let up in the second half, shooting 57 percent and scoring 62 points. Lombardino scored the opening four points in the second half and the Lady Blues later had a sequence of three straight steals and fast-break lay-ups. Williams had the first two and the last one, from Lombardino, made the score 63-8.

The Lady Jays finally reached double figures at the 14:29 mark of the second half on a 3-pointer from Brittany Shaklee, giving her half of her team-high six points. Washburn got to triple digits for the 11th time in school history when Dana Channel hit a 3-pointer at the 3:37 mark.

School record margin of victory: Final notes on the Tabor game
Washburn's 92-point win is the highest in school history...the previous largest was by 87 on November 25, 1983 to St. John's (Kan.), 113-26...this was Washburn's 11th 100-point game in school history and first since winning 102-43 to Southwestern on November 23, 2009...the November 14 home-opener is the earliest in school history...Washburn has hosted several November 15 games...The Lady Blues won their 12th straight Lee Arena opener, all under head coach Ron McHenry...Washburn won its 48th straight game in the month of November...McHenry moved to 294-60 to bring him six wins away from 300 in his career.

Lady Blues debut at No. 11 in WBCA preseason poll
The Lady Blues earned a No. 11 ranking in the preseason USA Today ESPN Division II Top 25 Coaches' Poll released November 1. Washburn returns four starters and eight letterwinners overall and will add two Division I transfers to the mix.

The Lady Blues, picked No. 1 in the MIAA coaches and media polls released last week, are the top returning MIAA team. Defending conference champion Northwest Missouri is No. 15 while Emporia State and Central Missouri earned votes but no ranking. Non-conference opponent Drury was picked No. 25.

MIAA coaches and media pick Lady Blues first
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Lady Blues were picked as the team to beat in the MIAA's coaches and media preseason polls released during the MIAA Virtual Media Day. Washburn was a unanimous pick in the coaches poll and earned 12 of 16 first place votes in the media poll.

The Lady Blues, second-place finishers last year with a 22-7 overall record and a 17-5 MIAA mark, were picked in front of Emporia State in both polls. Defending regular season and tournament champion Northwest Missouri was picked third in the media poll and tied for fifth in the coaches poll.

McHenry six wins shy of 300 in his 12th year at Washburn
Ron McHenry began his 12th season with the Lady Blues in 2011-12 and he needs just six wins to reach 300 in his career, all at WU. After going 4-0 with three wins and a championship at the Disney Tip-Off West Coast Classic, McHenry has a 294-60 (.831) record.

McHenry, a national champion in 2004-05, is the winningest coach at the NCAA Division II level since taking over the Washburn program prior to the 2000-01 season. He has won 79 percent of his MIAA games with a 162-42 record.

McHenry is the Washburn career leading in winning percentage among the five coaches since the program started in 1969-70. He is second in career wins at WU behind Patty Dick with 431 from 1977-00.

November a month to remember
Washburn has now won 48 straight games in the month of November and Lady Blues coach Ron McHenry is 49-1 all-time coaching in the opening month of the season. Washburn's last loss, and McHenry's only, in November was November 23, 2000 to Hillsdale by three points.

McHenry has challenged his team often in the opening month. Thirty-two of the 50 games he has coached in November have been against NCAA Division II opponents. The Lady Blues will play five more November games this season including three against DII competition.

After sitting at least a year, pair of DI transfers start big for Lady Blues
Senior guard Ebonie Williams was named the Disney Tip-Off West Coast Classic MVP as she made her Washburn debut after sitting out a year. The Seton Hall transfer leads Washburn with 11.0 points a game hitting double digits twice in the four games. She's shooting 61 percent from the field and 46 percent from 3-point range. She led the Lady Blues with 15 points in their exhibition Tuesday at Kansas State. Williams scored 1,123 for the Division I Pirates and was an all-Big East second team pick in 2008-09, her sophomore year. She transferred to WU after her junior year and sat out last year.

Junior forward Sierra Moeller played in her first regular season games since 2008-09 and leads the team with 8.5 rebounds a game, getting to double figures in the first two contests. She played her freshman year in 2008-09 at Boise State, scoring 3.8 points with 3.7 rebounds and then sat out at Washburn in 2009-10 after transferring. Last year she played in two exhibitions before a knee injury kept her out of the regular season.

McHenry going five-for-five with starters and first group of subs
Washburn coach Ron McHenry has gone with the same starting lineup all four games - guards Ebonie Williams and Stevi Schultz, forwards Dana Elliott and Sierra Moeller and center Cassie Lombardino. Every game he's played them for about five minutes and then replaced them all at once with guards Megan Lassley, Laura Kinderknecht and Casyn Buchman and forwards Brittney Lynch and Laura McMullin.

The opening five have averaged 40.2 points a game while the second five have scored 30.0 a game. Williams leads the starting group with 12.0 points a game and Lynch leads the first group of reserves with 8.5 a game.

McHenry used the same five players in all his starting lineups last year and included among them were four returners this year - Schultz, Lombardino, Lassley and Kinderknecht.

Three true freshmen get on the board for Washburn

All three true freshmen who played at Disney got their first collegiate points at the Tip-Off Classic. Brittney Lynch led the group with 18 points and 6.0 a game and 3.7 rebounds a game. Casyn Buchman (McPherson HS) had 4.3 points a game and hit a 3-point in each game. Alyssa Nikkel scored six points for 2.0 a game.

Lynch also had a huge game Monday against Tabor, leading Washburn with 16 points and nine rebounds, all off the bench She was 6 of 10 from the field and hit all four free throw attempts.

Another true freshman, Ashley Timm, became the fourth true freshman to play for the Lady Blues this year. She appeared in four minutes Monday at Tabor.

Last time out against Southwestern College
TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Lady Blues overcame a sluggish start and rolled to a 91-60 season-opening win over Southwestern (Kan.) College on November 15 last year at Lee Arena.

Cassie Lombardino led four Lady blues in double-figures  with career-highs of 20 points and nine rebounds. Naudia Campbell had 16 points and eight boards on 8-of-10 shooting from the field. Megan Lassley had 15 points and Laura Kinderknecht chipped in a career-high 13.

Washburn shot 45 percent from the floor, 35 of 78, and 28 percent from 3-point range. Washburn out-rebounded the Lady Builders 63-31. The 63 boards are the most ever by a Lady Blues team in Lee Arena.

Jasmine Jackson and Jordyn Cossman each had nine points to pace Southwestern, which shot 33 percent from the field and 26 percent from behind the arc.

Washburn had 50 points in the paint, compared to 24 for Southwestern, and had 29 second-chance points.

Season Flash Backs: Don't Forget...
Happiest Place on Earth: The Lady Blues went 3-0 in the season-opening Disney Tip-Off West Coast Classic to claim the trophy. Ebonie Williams earned MVP honor after averaging 12.0 points a game and shooting 56 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3-point range. Williams was 6 of 7 in the de facto title game, scoring 15 points with three 3-pointers. In her debut, she had 14 points off 5 of 9 shooting.

Near DI  Upset: A last-second lay-up spoiled Washburn's exhibition upset bid, 52-50, at Kansas State on November 8. Ebonie Williams led WU with 15 points.

Up next for the Lady Blues
Washburn will play its fifth game in nine days with a 7 p.m. contest Tuesday, November 22, at Drury State. The Panthers  were ranked 25th in the USA Today ESPN Division II Top 25 Coaches' Poll and they started the year 1-1 with a loss to Division I Oral Roberts and will not play again until hosting the Lady Blues.

WU and Drury have played each other 10 times since 2001-02 and the Lady Blues hold an 8-2 advantage in the series.


Blue Notes: Player-By-Player Tip-Ins

#1 Katie Moyer • 5-5 Jr. G • Olpe, Kan. • Independence CC
Had first WU career points Monday with 6 against Tabor...appeared in all three games at Disney Classic...played six minutes...one assist...averaged 7.3 points as a sophomore at Independence CC last year.

#3 Casyn Buchman • 5-9 Jr. G • McPherson, Kan. • McPherson HS
Has hit one 3-pointer in each of her four games...played in all three games at Disney Classic averaging 14.0 minutes...scored 13 points, 4.3 per game with six rebounds, 2.0 a game...scored five straight for Washburn during second-half 8-0 run in win over St. Martin's at Disney...ended that game with season-high seven points...scored 14.0 points a game her senior year at McPherson High School.

#4 Lindy Arndt • 5-11 So. G • Emporia, Kan. • Emporia HS
Had her first points of year with four against Tabor on Monday...has played in every game...scored 21 points in 11 games last year.

#5 Laura Kinderknecht • 5-7 Jr. G • St. Mary's, Kan. • St. Mary's HS
Averaging 2.5 points and 3.0 rebounds a game off the bench...shooting 3 of 17 (.176) from the field and 2 of 12 (.167) from 3-point range...averaged 10.7 points a game last year, starting all 29.

#10 Dana Channel • 5-10 So. G • Rossville, Kan. • Rossville HS
Had five Monday against Tabor to tie career high...also tied career high that game with three rebounds...played just six minutes in the first three games...had one rebound and two assists against Hawaii Pacific...played in 23 games last year scoring 33 points.

#11 Alyssa Nikkel • 5-8 Fr. G • Goddard, Kan. • Cheney HS
Played nine minutes Monday against Tabor with two assists and a steal...played just eight minutes in first three games at Disney...scored five points against CSUDH with a 3-pointer...led Cheney High School in scoring, assists and steals as Cardinals went undefeated with a state title her senior year in 2010-11.

#15 Sami McHenry • 5-8 So. G • Topeka, Kan. • Shawnee Heights HS
Has not played yet...is a libero/defensive specialist on the No. 3-ranked Washburn volleyball team and will join the basketball team after volleyball season ends...volleyball plays in NCAA South Central Region tournament this weekend...scored two points in eight games last year...father is head coach Ron McHenry.

#20 Dana Elliott • 5-11 Jr. F • Wamego, Kan. • Rock Creek HS
Has started every game this year...had a career-high six assists Monday against Tabor...started all three games in Disney and averaged 5.3 points and 1.7 rebounds...went 4 for 7 against CSUDH with nine points...played 28 games off the bench last year and averaged 2.1 points and 1.8 rebounds.

#21 Cassie Lombardino • 6-3 Sr. C • Bonner Springs, Kan. • Basehor-Linwood HS
Has started every game this year...had 12 points off 6 of 12 shooting Monday against Tabor...just missed a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds November 6 against Hawaii Pacific...started every game last year and tied for team lead with 15.0 points a game...earned second team all-MIAA.

#22 Megan Lassley • 5-4 Sr. G • Wichita, Kan. • Seward County CC
Shot 5 of 6 Monday against Tabor for 14 points, one off her career high...averaged 14.7 minutes off the bench in the three games at Disney...hit three 3-pointers against Hawaii Pacific for nine points...had three steals  against St. Martin's to tie a career high...was an every-game starter last year, averaging 7.1 points and a team-high 3.5 assists a game.

#23 Stormye Everett • 5-9 Jr. G • Aurora, Colo. • Western Neb. CC
Averaging 4.5 points and 2.5 rebounds in 6.0 minutes...had 11 points at Disney against Hawaii Pacific in just nine minutes...hit 5 of 7 shots in that game...averaged 13.7 points a game in 2009-10 as a sophomore at Western Nebraska CC.

#24 Ebonie Williams • 5-8 Sr. G • Hagerstown, Md. • Seton Hall
Shooting 10-12 (.833) in her last two games...scored in double figures twice in her Washburn opening weekend at Disney Classic after sitting out a year...a DI transfer from Seton Hall where she scored over 1,000 points in her three years there, leading her team every year...leads Washburn with 12.0 points a game...shooting 61 percent from the field...had 15 points against Hawaii Pacific off 6 of 7 shooting...went 3 for 3 from 3-point range that game...named Disney Classic tournament MVP.

#25 Stevi Schultz • 5-9 Sr. G • Neodesha, Kan. • Neodesha HS
Scored 14 points against Tabor off 5 of 8 shooting with four 3-pointers...averaged 9.3 points a game, 5.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists at Disney Classic...overcame a slow start to year by going 5 of 7 from the field against Hawaii Pacific in third game, all from 3-point range, to score 15 points...tied a career high with six assists that game...scored 15 points in exhibition at Kansas State...tied for team lead in scoring last year with 15.0 points a game and earned first team all-MIAA and second  team all-region.

#30 Brittney Lynch • 6-1 Fr. F • Omaha, Neb. • Elkhorn HS
Had breakout game with team-high 16 points and nine rebounds Monday against Tabor...shot 6 of 10 from the field that game...has played off the bench in every game and is averaging 8.5 points to lead all reserves...shooting 52 percent from the field...in high school she averaged 15.8 points and 7.9 rebounds her senior year.

#32 Sierra Moeller • 6-1 Jr. F • Pierre, S.D. • Boise State
Has started all four games in her Washburn debut after sitting out two straight years...missed last year after a knee injury in an exhibition game and missed 2009-10 after transferring from Boise State the year before...scored in double figures for first time with 11 points Monday against Tabor...scored 4.7 points a game with team-high 9.7 rebounds a game at Disney tournament...had 12 in opener against CSUDH and 10 against St. Martin's...currently averaging 6.3 points and 8.5 rebounds...as a freshman at Boise State in 2008-09 she averaged 3.8 points and 3.7 rebounds a game.

#33 Tiara George • 6-1 Jr. F • Baton Rouge, La. • Angelina CC
Will have to sit out the first semester after transferring to WU midway through last year...averaged 10.1 points and 8.7 rebounds a game and shot 56 percent in 2009-10 at Angelina CC (Texas).

#42 Ashley Timm • 5-10 Fr. G • Pratt, Kan. • Skyline Hs
Had her first collegiate action Monday against Tabor, playing four minutes without a point...did not play in Disney Classic...she helped Skyline High School to a sub-state runner-up finish three straight years.

#44 Laura McMullin • 6-1 Jr. F • Sedalia, Mo. • Sacred Heart HS
Has played in all four games averaging 7.5 points and 5.0 rebounds...played in all three games off the bench at Disney averaging 14.3 minutes...scored 11 points in opener against CSUDH off 5 of 7 shooting...also had six rebounds that game...shot 56 percent in opening three games...averaged 2.7 points and 4.0 rebounds last year off the bench.


This Week's Opponent Profiles

Southwestern Lady Moundbuilders(3-4)
Location: Winfield, Kan.
Enrollment: 1,850
Colors: Purple & White
Conference: Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
Their game at Washburn will be considered an exhibition for them...are 3-4 after a win Monday against York...defeated Dallas Christian 104-33 earlier this year...guard Brett Bates leads with 16.7 points a game and she scored 23 against MidAmerica Nazarene with five 3-pointers.
Last Time Out: Southwestern defeated York, 73-52 at home Monday night. Brett Bates scored 18 points, going 6 for 16 from the field and 4 of 12 from 3-point range...Zefiryn Bryan had a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
Head Coach Dave Denly: In his 12th season at Southwestern with a 209-126 (.624) record.
Series History: Washburn leads the all-time series 9-3...the teams have met once each of the last five years and Washburn has won by an average of 39.8 points...the Moundbuilders last win came in 1971-72...one of Washburn's 11 100-point games came against Southwestern in a 102-43 win in 2009-10.

East Central Lady Tigers (0-0)
Location: Ada, Okla.
Enrollment: 4,900
Colors: Orange & Black
Conference: Great American Conference
The Lady Tigers start their season Tuesday by hosting St. Gregory's before coming to the MSU Classic...they went 10-17 last year.
Head Coach Kent Frantz: 278-272 (.505) as he starts his 22nd year at ECU and overall...a 1985 East Central graduate.
Series History: Washburn won the only game in series history 79-62 on November 27, 1999.

Midwestern State Mustangs (1-0)
Location: Wichita Falls, Texas
Enrollment: 6,200
Colors: Maroon & Gold
Conference: Lone Star Conference
The Mustangs won their opener 98-76 against Texas A&M International and will play Tuesday night at Newman before returning home to host Central Missouri in their MSU Classic.
Last Time Out: Savannah Carver had 23 points with three 3-pointers as MSU topped TAMUI 98-76 on November 12...Kirsti Degelia had 18 points and was 6 of 8 from the field.
Head Coach Noel Johnson: 28-51 (.354) in his fourth year at Midwestern State and overall as a head coach.
Series History: Washburn leads the all-time series 2-0...the Lady Blues won in Topeka, 67-56, on March 14, 2003, in the NCAA region tournament first round...they also won in 1988-89.