Game 7: Lady Blues at Drury

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No. 11 Washburn Lady Blues (6-1)
at No. 25 Drury Panthers (1-1)
Date: Wednesday, November 22
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Springfield, Mo.
Arena: O'Reilly Family Events Center (3,200)
Radio: 94.5 WIBW FM with Mark Elliott (play-by-play)
Video: America One (b2tv.com) (fee)
Series Record: WU leads 8-2
Last Meeting: WU 58-46 on 11/23/10
Washburn Coach Ron McHenry: 296-61 (.829) in 12th year at WU and overall
Drury Coach Steve Harold: 96-32 (.750) in 5th year at Drury and 386-143 (.730) in 17th year overall

Lady Blues return to road for top-25 battle at Drury tonight
The 11th-ranked Lady Blues will look to bounce back from their first loss of the year as they head to No. 25 Drury (1-1) for a 7 p.m. game at the O'Reilly Family Events Center. Washburn (6-1) went 3-1 in four games last week, winning a pair of home games against Tabor and Southwestern during the week and then beating East Central and falling to Midwestern State in the MSU Classic over the weekend.

Washburn recorded its first consecutive 100-point game streak in school history hitting the century mark against Tabor and Southwestern. The win against Tabor (111-19)was by a school-record 92 points.

The Lady Blues are led by Division I transfer Ebonie Williams with 12.6 points a game and 61 percent shooting. Stevi Schultz, a first team all-MIAA selection last year, is scoring 11.1 a game.

Drury is 1-1 after a loss at DI Oral Roberts and a win at Southwest Baptist. The Panthers will open their second season in the new O'Reilly Center.

Wrapping up the Southwestern game
TOPEKA, Kan. -- The No. 11-ranked Lady Blues led from start to finish jumping out to a 16-4 lead over Southwestern (Kan.) and never looked back hitting the century mark in back-to-back games for the first time in the program's history. They won 108-60 last Wednesday in Lee Arena, connecting on a school-record 16 3-pointers.

Washburn was led by Stevi Schultz who scored 21 points hitting 6 of 8 3-pointers while dishing out a career-high seven assists. She paced a total of four Lady Blues in double figures followed by Ebonie Williams with 16, Sierra Moeller with 15 and Cassie Lombardino with 12. Williams was 4 of 6 from 3-point range. Moeller added nine rebounds.

Washburn shot 53 percent in the game hitting 41 of 76 attempts from the field while setting a new high-water mark with the 16 3-pointers. Washburn had hit 15 3-pointers in a single game in five previous games. The Lady Blues also reached the 100-point mark in back-to-back games for the first time in the program's history and for only the second time in school history they've scored at least 100 points in two games during a season.

Washburn recorded 33 assists in the game on the 41 field goals and held a 49 to 29 advantage on the boards.

Wrapping up the East Central Game
WICHITA FALLS, Texas - The Lady Blues used a quick start to overcame turnovers and poor shooting for a 72-56 win over East Central Friday night in the first game of the Midwestern State Classic.

Ebonie Williams was 5 of 8 from the field for 13 points and she hit three 3-pointers to lead Washburn. Stevi Schultz also hit three treys for 10 points. Laura McMullin scored 10 points off the bench for the Lady Blues with 4 of 8 shooting. She added 11 rebounds for a double-double, her first of the year.

Both teams shot under 40 percent with the Tigers (0-2) shooting 36 percent and No. 11 Washburn shooting 32 percent. The Lady Blues committed 19 turnovers while ECU had 18. Washburn had 57 rebounds, the most going back to at least the 1999-00 season. East Central had just 36 rebounds

Dana Elliott scored Washburn's first five points as Washburn jumped to an 11-2 lead. The Tigers closed within six twice after that but Washburn used an 8-0 run to take a 14-point lead at 22-8 and the Lady Blues kept the lead at double digits the rest of the way.
The Tigers hit a 3-pointer early in the second half to close within 11 but Washburn went on an 11-0 run to take a 44-23 lead. Schultz and Williams had 3s during the streak and Laura Kinderknecht closed the run by making three straight free throws.

Washburn shot 28 percent (9 of 32) from 3-point range and 74 percent from the free throw line. The Tigers were 27 percent from long range and 56 percent from the free throw line.

Williams and Brittney Lynch led Washburn with four assists and seven different players had one steal each. Sierra Moeller led Washburn with 14 rebounds for her third double-figure game.

Wrapping up the Midwestern State game
WICHITA FALLS, Texas - The 11th-ranked Lady Blues jumped to a 9-0 lead but Midwestern State came back to hand Washburn (6-1) its first loss of the year, 68-53 Saturday in the MSU Classic.

Ebonie Williams was 7 of 10 from the field for 15 points and Cassie Lombardino had 13 points and a career-high six blocked shots. Stevi Schultz blocked three shots and led with four assists but she was held to 2 of 11 shooting with one 3-pointer for five points. Sierra Moeller led the Lady Blues with 11 rebounds and Washburn held a 38-33 advantage on the boards.

The Lady Blues and Mustangs (2-2) each shot 40 percent in the game. MSU was out-blocked 11-2 but took advantage of Washburn's 23 turnovers and 2-of-11 performance from 3-point range. The Mustangs committed 16 turnovers.

The Lady Blues trailed most of the night after MSU overcame their quick start. Brittney Lynch's basket at 13:38 of the second half pulled Washburn within one at 36-35 but MSU responded with a 15-2 run to take a 14-point lead. The Mustangs enjoyed a double-digit advantage the rest of the night and built it as high as 18, 59-41 at the 7:14 mark that ended a 6-0 run.

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 four 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 four wins to reach 300 in his career, all at WU. After going 6-1 to start the season, McHenry has a 296-61 (.829) 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 but Lady Blues falter in opening month for first time since 2000
Washburn had won 50 straight games in the month of November before dropping a game Saturday at Midwestern State. Lady Blues coach Ron McHenry is 51-2 all-time coaching in the opening month of the season. Washburn's previous loss in November, and McHenry's only before Saturday's, was November 23, 2000 to Hillsdale by three points.

McHenry has challenged his team often in the opening month. Thirty-four of the 53 games he has coached in November have been against NCAA Division II opponents. The Lady Blues will play two more November games this season including one 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 12.6 points a game hitting double digits in three straight games and five of the seven this year. She's shooting 61 percent from the field and 52 percent from 3-point range. 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 9.7 rebounds a game, getting to double figures four times. 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 45.1 points a game while the second five have scored 25.9 a game. Williams leads the starting group with 12.6 points a game and McMullin leads the first group of reserves with 7.9 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.

Not lending a helping hand...
The Lady Blues opponents are averaging 7.8 assists a game and averaging assists on 46 percent of made baskets. Meanwhile, Washburn is averaging 20.4 assists a game, getting helpers on 69 percent of made baskets.
Washburn's opponents have gotten double-digit assists just twice this year, in each of the last two games.

Last time out against Drury
TOPEKA, Kan. -- The ninth-ranked Lady Blues held off the Drury Lady Panthers 58-46 on November 23, 2010, at Lee Arena to move to 2-0 on the season.

Washburn raced out to an 8-0 lead right out of the gates with Cassie Lombardino notching the first five points of the game for WU. Washburn led 12-4 before the Lady Panthers (1-3) went on a 12-3 run to grab a one-point lead with 8:32 to play in the half. Drury pushed its lead to as many as six at 24-18 at the 5:46 mark of the opening period.

The Lady Blues opened the second half on a 16-4 run that pushed the lead to 19 with 11:28 to play in regulation. The Lady Panthers used a 13-4 run to close to within 10 at 53-43, but could get no closer.

Schultz led Washburn with 14 points and a then-career-high 13 rebounds for her first career double-double. The Lady Blues shot 32 percent from the floor, 18 of 56, including 12 of 34 for 35 percent from beyond the arc. Washburn out-rebounded the Lady Panthers 48-27 and had a 15-8 advantage in assists.

Ja'Nell Jones led all scorers with 27 points for Drury. She was 10 of 20 from the field and made 7 of 8 from the charity stripe. Jones also added eight rebounds to lead the Lady Panthers, who were 18-of-52 from the field for 35 percent. DU was 0-of-12 from behind the three-point line.

Season Flash Backs: Don't Forget...
School-record margin of victory: Washburn's 92-point win over Tabor on November 14 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.
Another 100-point game!: Washburn made it back-to-back 100-point games for the first time in school history with a 108-60 win over Southwestern on November 16. The Lady Blues had record triple-digit games twice in the same season in 2005-06 and 1983-84 but never in consecutive games.
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 wrap up non-conference action next Monday at 6 p.m. against Evangel in Lee Arena. The Lady Blues lead the all-time series 3-0 against the Crusaders. They last met in 2007-08.

MIAA action will then tip off on December 3 at Northwest Missouri State at 5:30 p.m.

Blue Notes: Player-By-Player Tip-Ins

#1 Katie Moyer • 5-5 Jr. G • Olpe, Kan. • Independence CC
Had first WU career points with 6 against Tabor...has played in six games this year, missing Saturday's contest at Midwestern State...averaged 7.3 points as a sophomore at Independence CC last year.

#3 Casyn Buchman • 5-9 Fr. G • McPherson, Kan. • McPherson HS
Hit at least one 3-pointer in each of her first five games...scored career-high eight points against Southwestern last Wednesday...was 3 for 5 from the field with two 3-pointers...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...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 season-high four last Monday against Tabor...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 2.4 points and 1.9 rebounds a game off the bench...shooting 5 of 26  (.192) from the field and 2 of 16 (.125) 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 points twice this year (Tabor and East Central) to tie career high...also tied career high against Tabor with three rebounds...has played all seven games with 10 points and six rebounds...played in 23 games last year scoring 33 points.

#11 Alyssa Nikkel • 5-8 Fr. G • Goddard, Kan. • Cheney HS
Has played in all seven games this year with six points and three assists...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 but is expected to join the team soon...played as a libero/defensive specialist on the No. 5-ranked Washburn volleyball team that ended its season in the NCAA South Central Region final last 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...averaging 4.7 points, 2.4 assists and 3.0 rebounds...had a career-high six assists last Monday against Tabor......went 4 for 7 against CSUDH with season-high 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...averaging 9.9 points and 6.1 rebounds a game...has scored in double figures in four of the last five games...had 12 points off 6 of 12 shooting last 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 last Monday against Tabor for 14 points, one off her career high...scoring 5.7 points with 1.3 rebounds this year...52 percent from 3-point range this year...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 3.9 points and 2.1 rebounds in 5.1 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 61 percent (35 of 57) this year and 52 percent (13 of 25) from 3-point range...has scored in double figures in five of her seven games this year...leads Washburn with 12.6 points a game...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...a DI transfer from Seton Hall where she scored over 1,000 points in her three years there, leading her team every year.

#25 Stevi Schultz • 5-9 Sr. G • Neodesha, Kan. • Neodesha HS
Has reached double figures in four of last five games...second on team with 11.1 points a game while averaging 3.1 assists and 4.1 rebounds...tied a career high with six assists against Hawaii Pacific and then set a career high with seven Saturday at midwestern State...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 last Monday against Tabor...shot 6 of 10 from the field that game...has played off the bench in every game and is averaging 6.1 points...shooting 43 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 seven games in her Washburn debut after sitting out two straight years...leading the team with 9.7 rebounds a game getting double figures four times...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 last Monday against Tabor and then added 15 against Southwestern last Wednesday...averaging 6.9 points a game this year...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 last Monday against Tabor, playing four minutes without a point...played again Wednesday against Southwestern with one rebound...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 seven games averaging 7.9 points and 5.4 rebounds...had a double-double Friday against East Central with 10 points and 11 rebounds, the first double-double of the year for Washburn and second of her career...scored 11 points in opener against CSUDH off 5 of 7 shooting...also had six rebounds that game...shooting 50 percent from the field this year...averaged 2.7 points and 4.0 rebounds last year off the bench.