Game 10 Lady Blues at Northwest Missouri

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No. 16 Washburn Lady Blues (7-2, 0-0 MIAA)
at Northwest Missouri (2-5, 0-1 MIAA)
Date: Saturday, December 3, 2011
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Location: Maryville, Mo.
Arena: Bearcat Arena (2,500)
Radio: Country Legends 106.9 FM with Mark Elliott (play-by-play) & Jake Lebahn (color)
Video: America One (fee)
Series Record: WU leads 44-10
Last Meeting: NWMSU 71-63 on 01/26/11
Washburn Coach Ron McHenry: 297-62 (.827) in 12th year at WU and overall
NWMSU Head Coach Gene Steinmeyer: 185-170 (.521) in 13th year at NWMSU and 545-311 (.637) in 28th year overall

Lady Blues open MIAA play at Northwest Missouri Saturday night
The 16th-ranked Lady Blues will travel to Northwest Missouri Saturday at 5:30 p.m. to open their MIAA schedule. The game will be carried live on Country Legends 106.9 FM and a live video webcast will be available for a fee through America One. Links to watch and listen live are available on wusports.com

Washburn (7-2) snapped a two-game losing streak Tuesday with a 93-43 win over Evangel while the Bearcats (2-5) lost their MIAA opener Wednesday, against Emporia State, 68-56 at home.

The Lady Blues are led in scoring by senior guard Ebonie Williams with 12.3 points a game. She's shooting 60 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3-point range.  Shelly Martin leads the Bearcats with 11.1 points a game and she shoots 39 percent from the field.

Washburn leads the all-time series against NMWSU 44-10 and had won six straight in the series before the Bearcats won 71-63 in Maryville last year.

Last Time Out: Washburn 93, Evangel 43
TOPEKA, Kan. -- Sierra Moeller had a season-high 16 points and joined three other Lady Blues in double figures as Washburn defeated Evangel, 93-43 Monday night in Lee Arena.

Moeller was 5 of 8 from the field and 6 of 9 from the free throw line. Overall, Washburn shot 59 percent in the game while the Lady Crusaders (1-5), playing the game as an exhibition, were 31 percent from the field. Washburn was 10 of 20 from 3-point range and Evangel was 4 of 23.

Ebonie Williams went 6 of 7 from the field for 14 points and Stevi Schultz hit four 3-pointers and scored 13 points. Laura McMullin was 5 of 7 from the field for 14 points.

Washburn led by 20 at halftime and quickly built it to 30 by starting the half on a 10-0 run. Williams hit two straight 3-pointers during that streak. Evangel then hit two free throws but Washburn came right back with 10 more consecutive points to give the Lady Blues 20 of the first 22 points in the second half.

A 12-0 run later put the Lady Blues up by 44, 77-33 at the 7:19 mark. Schultz hit a pair of treys during that streak. A free throw from Brittney Lynch later gave WU a 50-point lead at 3:10 and then in the final minute, Stormye Everett hit a lay-up that gave WU a game-high 54-point lead.

Casyn Buchman scored eight points off the bench for Washburn. She was 2 for 2 from 3-point range in the first half and in the second half McMullin scored 12 of her 14 points off 5 of 6 shooting.

After a solid 56 percent effort from the field in the first half for Washburn, the Lady Blues returned to the floor and shot 63 percent in the second half. They were 5 of 9 (56 percent) from 3-point range in the closing 20 minutes.

The Lady Blues recorded 26 assists off 35 made baskets. Schultz led with five and four other players had at least three.
Schultz also led Washburn with seven rebounds and Moeller led with three blocks, setting a season-high. The Lady Blues led Evangel in rebounds, 43-21 and committed 11 turnovers while EU had 17.

Emily Akins led the Lady Crusaders with 14 points and Kara Blankenship had 12. She led her team with four assists.

Final notes on the Evangel game
The win was Washburn's fourth by 45 or more this year...the Lady Blues have now outscored their opponents by an average of 104-41 in their three home games, all against NAIA foes...Washburn shot a season-high .593 and shot better than 50 percent for the fourth time this year...the game snapped a streak of three straight games having more turnovers than opponents have...Evangel hit a 3-pointer to open the game, marking the first time the Lady Blues did not get on the scoreboard first.

Lady Blues 16th in latest national poll
The Lady Blues dropped to 16th in the USA Today ESPN Division II Top 25 Coaches' Poll released Tuesday. Washburn played just once last week and dropped its game to unranked Drury. The Lady Panthers are now ranked 24th.

Washburn (7-2) is the highest ranked MIAA team. Central Missouri earned its first ranking at No. 25 while Emporia State, Pittsburg State and Fort Hays State continue to earn votes but no ranking.

This is the third straight week Washburn has been ranked. The Lady Blues started the season ranked 10th and then dropped to 11th in last week's first regular season poll. The Lady Blues open MIAA play Saturday at 5:30 p.m. at Northwest Missouri State.

McHenry three 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 7-2 to start the season, McHenry has a 297-62 (.827) record.

McHenry entered the season second in NCAA Division II history with an .829 winning percentage (among coaches with at least 10 years) and second among active coaches in winning percentage (among coaches with at least five years). Thirty-six active DII coaches have reached the 300-win level and McHenry is looking to become the 37th.

McHenry, a national champion in 2004-05, has won 79 percent of his MIAA games with a 162-42 record. He is the Washburn career leader 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.

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.

November a month to remember but Lady Blues falter in opening month for first time since 2000
The Lady Blues entered the year having lost just once in the month of November under coach Ron McHenry. They finished this month 7-2, dropping just the second and third opening-month games under McHenry. Washburn had won 50 straight games in the month of November before dropping a game November 19 at Midwestern State and then again on November 22 at Drury. McHenry is 52-3 all-time coaching in the opening month of the season. Washburn's previous loss in November, and McHenry's only before the last two, was November 23, 2000 to Hillsdale by three points.

McHenry has challenged his team often in the opening month. Thirty-five of the 55 games he has coached in November have been against NCAA Division II opponents.

Lady Blues nearing 400 straight games keeping opponents under 100
The Lady Blues have allowed an opponent to score in triple digits just once in their history. Emporia State did so in a 106-66 win over WU on January 27, 1999 and since then the Lady Blues have gone 398 games keeping opponents under 100.
Only three teams have scored in the 90s since then. Pittsburg State was the closest to 100, getting 94 in a triple-overtime game in 2008-09.

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 12.3 points a game hitting double digits in six of the nine games this year. She's shooting 60 percent from the field and 50 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 8.6 rebounds a game, getting to double figures four times. She's scored in double figures three times and averages 7.3 points a game. 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
For the first time since 2009-10, Washburn coach Ron McHenry switched his starting lineup mid-season. Tuesday against Evangel, Megan Lassley started in place of Dana Elliott. Guards Ebonie Williams and Stevi Schultz and forward Sierra Moeller and center Cassie Lombardino continued to start together for the ninth straight time. In nearly every game, he's played his starters for about five minutes and then replaced them all at once with five fresh players.

The opening five are averaging 44.6 points a game and shooting 48 percent while the non-starters are scoring 33.0 a game and shooting 43 percent. Williams leads the starting group with 12.3 points a game and Laura 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.

Lending a helping hand...
The Lady Blues are averaging 20.4 assists a game, getting helpers on 70 percent of made baskets. Washburn's opponents are averaging 8.6 assists a game and averaging assists on 53 percent of made baskets.

The Lady Blues lead the MIAA in assists per game and Northwest Missouri is sixth with 15.0 a game. Washburn's assists totals have been well distributed as only one player is in the top 15 in the league (Stevi Schultz 10th with 3.2 a game).

Washburn's opponents have gotten double-digit assists just four times this year, in each of the last four games.

Last time out against Northwest Missouri
MARYVILLE, Mo. -- The ninth-ranked Lady Blues built a double digit lead in the first half, but went cold from the field down the stretch and fell 71-63 to 23rd-ranked Northwest Missouri on January 26, 2011, in Bearcat Arena.

The Bearcats (15-2, 11-2 MIAA) scored 10 of the first 14 points to open a six-point lead with 16:34 left in the opening half. A lay-up by Stevi Schultz jump started the Lady Blues as they went on a 14-0 run capped off by another Schultz lay-up and WU led 20-10 with 10:42 to play in the half.

Northwest Missouri closed the half on a 10-3 run and the Lady Blues led 33-29 at halftime.

NWMSU opened the second half on a 13-3 run and grabbed a 42-36 lead with 15:37 to play in the game. The game see-sawed back and forth. Northwest took the lead for good with 5:02 to play on a pair of Henry free throws.

Schultz led all scorers and tied her career-high 26 points. She added a team-high 10 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season. Lombardino and Megan Lassley were the next highest scorers for the Lady Blues with eight points each.

Washburn struggled from the field shooting just 35 percent (24 of 69), while making 7 of 22 from behind the 3-point line for 32 percent. WU was 8 of 10 from the charity stripe and out-rebounded the Bearcats 48-39, including 20 offensive rebounds.
Henry led three Bearcats in double figures with 20. Gabby Curtis had 15 and Gentry Dietz added 11. Kyla Roehrig had a game-high 12 rebounds. Northwest shot 42 percent (26 of 62) from the floor and was 7 of 18 for 39 percent from beyond the arc. NWMSU was 12 of 18 from the foul line and forced 17 Lady Blues turnovers.

Schultz takes over 2nd in career 3-pointers at Washburn
Senior guard Stevi Schultz moved into second in school history, now with 165 3-pointers in her career. She recently passed Lora Westling, who had 144 from 2001-05. Brooke Ubelaker (2003-07) is the career leader with 236 at WU.

This year she's 29 of 69 from long range for a .420 percentage. Schultz' 82 3-pointers last year was the fourth-highest single-season total in school history.

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 play another MIAA road game, Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at Fort Hays State and then return home on Saturday, December 10 to host Truman at 1:30 p.m. in Lee Arena.

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 the last three..averaged 7.3 points as a sophomore at Independence CC last year.

#3 Casyn Buchman • 5-9 Fr. G • McPherson, Kan. • McPherson HS
Has played in all nine games and shooting 44 percent from 3-point range...averaging 1.9 assists a game with at least one every game...had career-high four Tuesday against Evangel...scored career-high eight points twice, first against Southwestern November 16 and second on Tuesday against Evangel...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
Has played in eight games this year, missing the Drury contest...had her first points of year with season-high four November 14 against Tabor...averaging 1.0 points and 1.0 rebounds...scored 21 points in 11 games last year.

#5 Laura Kinderknecht • 5-7 Jr. G • St. Mary's, Kan. • St. Mary's HS
Has played in all nine games this year...averaging 2.6 points and 1.7 rebounds a game off the bench...shooting 7 of 28  (.250) from the field and 3 of 17 (.176) 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...set a career high Tuesday against Evangel with five rebounds...has played all nine games with 13 points and 12 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 but one game 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
Played her first game of year Tuesday against Evangel with three minutes and two rebounds...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
Started the first eight games this year and has played in all nine...averaging 4.4 points, 2.0 assists and 2.8 rebounds...had a career-high six assists November 14 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...has reached double figures in five of last seven games to push her season average to 9.6 points a game...averaging 5.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks a game...had career-high six blocks November 19 at Midwestern State...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
Made her first start of season Tuesday against Evangel and had four assists and three rebounds...shot 5 of 6 November 14 against Tabor for 14 points, one off her career high...scoring 4.8 points with 1.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists 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
Has played in every game except Drury contest...averaging 4.1 points and 2.0 rebounds in 5.4 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
Has started all nine games...shooting 60 percent (45 of 75) this year and 50 percent (16 of 32) from 3-point range...has scored in double figures in six of her nine games this year...leads Washburn with 12.3 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
Second in career 3-pointers at Washburn with 165...has reached double figures in six of last seven games...second on team with 11.7 points a game while averaging 3.2 assists and 4.4 rebounds...tied a career high with six assists against Hawaii Pacific and then set a career high with seven November 19 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 November 14 against Tabor...shot 6 of 10 from the field that game...has played off the bench in every game and is averaging 5.6 points...shooting 45 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 nine games in her Washburn debut after sitting out two straight years...leading the team with 8.6 rebounds a game getting double figures four times...scored season-high 16 points Tuesday against Evangel while going 5 of 8 from the field and 6 of 9 from free throw line...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 November 14 against Tabor and then added 15 against Southwestern the next time...averaging 6.3 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 November 14 against Tabor, playing four minutes without a point...has played in three games for eight total minutes with a 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 nine games averaging 7.9 points and 4.8 rebounds...top scorer off the bench for Washburn...had a double-double November 18 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 53 percent from the field this year...averaged 2.7 points and 4.0 rebounds last year off the bench.