Game 14 Lady Blues at Central Missouri
Game Notes
Watch Live
Listen Live
Live Stats
No. 21 Washburn Lady Blues (10-3, 3-1 MIAA)
at No. 22 Central Missouri (8-3, 2-3 MIAA)
Date: Saturday, December 31, 2011
Time: 1:30 p.m.
Location: Warrensburg, Mo.
Arena: UCM Multipurpose Building (8,500)
Radio: 106.9 KTPK FM with Mark Elliott (play-by-play) & Jake Lebahn (color)
Video: America One (fee)
Series Record: WU leads 35-13
Last Meeting: WU 55-49 on 02/09/11 (A)
Washburn Coach Ron McHenry: 300-63 (.826) in 12th year at WU and overall
UCM Coach Dave Slifer: 133-85 (.610) in 8th season at UCM and 516-184 (.737) in 23rd year overall
Micro-Blogging the Blues
(Around) 140-character or less tweets highlighting the season
The Lady Blues haven't allowed an opponent to shoot over 40 percent yet this year. They're 6th in nation and 1st in MIAA in def. FG percentage. #ToughD
Washburn is 4th in FG pct (.471), 6th in def. FG pct (.322), 6th in scoring margin (+23.8), 5th in RB margin (+14.8) and 8th in assists (18.7) #Top10InNation
Tiara George went 8 of 9 from the field and led WU with 17 points off the bench against MWSU in debut after year off. #RoyalDebut
Washburn has out-rebounded its opponents in every game this year but one, the loss at Drury. #HotOffTheIron
McHenry became the 37th active coach to get to 300 wins on Dec. 17 and among those coaches, he leads them all with an .826 winning pct. #300wins
The Lady Blues are averaging 22.3 turnovers a game in their three losses and just 15.1 a game in their 10 wins. #KeepTheBall!
Washburn is shooting 30% from 3-point range in its 3 losses and 41% in its 10 wins. #MorePoints=MoreWins
Washburn has scored first every game but two and led at halftime in all but two games this year. #QuickStart
Stevi Schultz has moved into 2nd in career 3s at WU, now with 171. #WayDownTown
Washburn has won seven straight against UCM and hasn't lost there since 2008-09. #SeriesDominance
Trip to UCM wraps up 2011 portion of schedule for No. 21 Lady Blues
The 21st-ranked Lady Blues will resume action after their winter break with a December 31 trip to No. 22 Central Missouri at 1:30 p.m. in the UCM Multipurpose Building. Washburn, ranked in the top 10 in five NCAA statistical categories, is 10-3 overall and 3-1 in the MIAA. The Jennies are 8-3 and 2-3 in the league.
Washburn has won four of its last five after the 87-63 win on December 17 gave head coach
Ron McHenry his 300th win. Central Missouri has lost three of its last four after a 59-46 defeat at Pittsburg State on December 18.
The Lady Blues are led by junior guard
Ebonie Williams with 12.0 points a game. She's 12th in the nation shooting 59 percent from the field and she's a 53 percent shooter from 3-point range. Forward Shaquanda Wiggins leads the Jennies with 16.4 points and 10.0 rebounds a game and she shoots 58 percent from the field.
The Lady Blues lead the all-time series 35-13 and they've won seven straight and haven't lost at UCM since 2008-09.
Last Time Out: Washburn 87, Missouri Western 63
TOPEKA, Kan. -
Tiara George scored a team-high 17 points off the bench in her Washburn debut to help head coach
Ron McHenry to his 300th career win, 87-63 Saturday night over Missouri Western in Lee Arena.
McHenry improved to 300-63 (.826) in his 12th season at Washburn. The second winningest coach in NCAA Division II history by winning percentage, McHenry is the 37th coach to reach the 300 mark.
George sat out last year and the first semester this year after transferring to Washburn midway through last year. She went 8 of 9 from the field and hit a free throw for 17 points. She added six rebounds.
Cassie Lombardino had her eighth double-figure scoring game with 15 points. She went 6 of 10 from the field.
Stevi Schultz reached double figures for the ninth time this year with 12. She was 4 of 8 from the field.
Sierra Moeller had a team-high 10 rebounds, reaching double figures for the sixth time this year.
Dana Elliott led Washburn with six assists off the bench, tying her career high. She was 3 of 4 from the field for eight points.
Ebonie Williams had nine points and joined
Megan Lassley with four assists each. Williams had a game-high four steals also.
The Griffons (2-7, 0-5 MIAA) held the lead or stayed close the first five minutes of the game. They led 6-2 before a 3-pointer from Schultz and two free throws from Lombardino gave Washburn a 7-6 lead.
The Griffons led two more times after that but a lay-up from
Brittney Lynch at 13:43 gave Washburn the lead for good. A 9-0 run gave the Lady Blues a 10-point lead at 23-13 and then Lynch's jumper at the 5:17 mark pushed Wasburn's lead to 20. The Lady Blues went into the locker room up 41-25.
Brittany Griswold's 3-pointer to open the second half got the Griffons within 13 but they would get no closer. Elliott's 3-pointer at 10:43 pushed Washburn's lead to 30 and then a jumper from Williams pushed it to a game-high 32-point lead, 76-44 at the 6:32 mark.
Washburn shot 52 percent, eclipsing the 50-percent mark for the second straight time and sixth this season. Missouri Western shot 35 percent from the field.
The Lady Blues were 40 percent (6 for 15) from 3-point range and 65 percent (13 of 20) from the free throw line. Washburn won the rebound battle, 44-32 and had 17 turnovers while MWSU had 21.
Alex Saxen led the Griffons with 21 points. She was 5 of 9 from the field and 8 for 8 from the free throw line. Jessica Koch chipped in 18 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double.
Final notes on the MWSU game
Washburn is now 45-38 all-time against Missouri Western...the Lady Blues have won 11 of the last 12 in the series...McHenry became the 37th coach in NCAA II history to reach 300 wins.
McHenry reaches milestone 300th win
Ron McHenry began his 12th season with the Lady Blues in 2011-12 and his 87-63 win on December 17 against Missouri Western game him the 300th win in his career, all at WU. McHenry has a 300-63 (.826) 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. Among coaches who have at least 300 wins, only Lloyd Clark (Delta State 1984-2002) has a betting winning percentage (.834).
McHenry has had at least 23 wins in every year but his first. He's reached the 30-win mark three times. After a 13-14 record in his first season, 2000-01, McHenry has brought the Lady Blues to the NCAA tournament 10 straight times.
McHenry, a national champion in 2004-05, 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.
Lady Blues 21st in USA Today ESPN national poll
The Lady Blues fell to 21st in the latest USA Today ESPN Division II Top 25 Coaches' Poll released December 13.
Washburn is one of four ranked MIAA teams. Pittsburg State is 18th, Central Missouri is 22nd and Emporia State is 23rd. Fort Hays State, Truman and Northwest Missouri are getting votes but no ranking.
The Lady Blues were 15th in the previous poll and they have been ranked in all five polls this year. They were left out of the final poll last year but have been ranked in 145 of the last 146 polls, dating back to week three of the 2002-03 season.
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.
Schultz takes over 2nd in career 3-pointers at Washburn
Senior guard
Stevi Schultz moved into second in school history, now with 171 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 shooting a career-high 41 percent from 3-point range. Schultz' 82 3-pointers last year was the fourth-highest single-season total in school history.
December 7 at FHSU she went without a 3-pointer for the first time since the end of the 2009-10 season. She made one in all 29 games last year and the first 10 this year.
After sitting at least a year, pair of DI transfers going strong 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 12.0 points a game hitting double digits in nine of the 13 games this year. She's shooting 59 percent from the field and 53 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 8.2 rebounds a game, getting to double figures six times. She's scored in double figures three times and averages 7.4 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.
Lady Blues in top 10 of several NCAA statistical categories
The Lady Blues are in the top 10 of five different statistical categories in the latest NCAA report. Washburn is fourth with a .471 field goal percentage and sixth with a .322 field goal percentage defense. The Lady Blues are sixth with a +23.8 scoring margin and fifth with a +14.8 rebounding margin. Their 18.7 assists a game is eighth.
The Lady Blues lead the MIAA in all those categories except scoring margin. Fort Hays leads the league and is fifth in the nation with a +27.0 margin.
Washburn has shot 50 percent or better five times this year and has kept opponents from shooting better than 40 percent in every game this year. The best effort to date was Midwestern State's .397 mark on November 19.
The Lady Blues have out-rebounded their opponents in every game but one (at Drury on November 22).
Season Flash Backs: Don't Forget...
300th win for McHenry: Lady Blues coach
Ron McHenry got his 300th career win, all at Washburn, on December 17 against Missouri Western.
400 straight under 100: The Lady Blues 67-60 win at Fort Hays State on December 7 marked the 400th straight game Washburn has kept opponents under 100 points. The last time was on January 27, 1999, at Emporia State.
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.
Last time out against Central Missouri
WARRENSBURG, Mo. – The 16th-ranked Lady Blues struggled from the floor in the second half, but held off Central Missouri 55-49 on February 9, 2011, at the UCM Multipurpose Building. Washburn shot just 2 of 20 from the floor in the second half, but went 17 of 22 from the foul line.
Cassie Lombardino led Washburn with 14 points and also pulled down seven rebounds.
Laura Kinderknecht had 13 points and
Stevi Schultz chipped in 12 to go along with a game-high eight boards.
Alyssa Mullen also had five rebounds for Washburn and
Megan Lassley added eight points, six boards and three assists.
Despite their poor shooting in the second half, the Lady Blues shot 33.3 percent (16 of 48) for the game and from 3-point range (4 of 12). Washburn finished 19 of 26 from the foul line for 73.1 percent and out-rebounded Central Missouri 40-33.
Nicole Caddell led the Jennies with 18 points and six rebounds, while Kara Fleming chipped in 13 points. UCM shot 35.7 percent (20 of 56) from the field, 18.8 percent (3 of 16) from three-point range and 50 percent (6 of 12) from the charity stripe.
Up next for the Lady Blues
Washburn will travel to Southwest Baptist for a 5:30 p.m. game on January 3. The Lady Blues will then return home to hose Missouri Southern on January 7 at 1:30 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...played in first six games this year and seven total..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 13 games...averaging 1.7 assists a game with at least one every game but one...had career-high four November 28 against Evangel...scored career-high eight points twice, first against Southwestern November 16 and second on November 28 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 nine games this year...had her first points of year with season-high four November 14 against Tabor...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 13 games this year...averaging 35 points and 1.5 rebounds a game off the bench...averaging 1.6 assists a game...had season-high 11 points December 7 at FHSU while going 4 of 6 from the field with two 3-pointers...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 November 28 against Evangel with five rebounds...has played all but the last three 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 four 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 played in two games this year with three rebounds in six minutes...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 13...averaging 5.1 points, 1.8 assists and 3.2 rebounds...since moving to non-starting role in last five games, has gone 12 of 15 (.800) and is averaging 6.6 points a game...had a career-high 11 points and seven rebounds December 7 at Fort Hays State...had a career-high six assists November 14 against Tabor and matched that December 17 against MWSU...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 eight of 13 games this year and three of last four...averaging 10.5 points a game...averaging 5.5 rebounds and team-high 1.7 blocks a game...had season-high 18 points December 3 at NWMSU off 8 of 11 shooting...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 November 28 against Evangel and has started five straight...shot 5 of 6 November 14 against Tabor for 14 points, one off her career high...scoring 4.5 points with 1.7 rebounds and 2.0 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 nine games...averaging 4.1 points and 2.1 rebounds in 5.2 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 13 games...shooting 59 percent this year, 2nd best in the MIAA and 12th in the nation, and 53 percent from 3-point range...has scored in double figures in nine of her 12 games this year...leads Washburn with 12.0 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 171...had first double-double of the year with 12 points and 13 rebounds at FHSU on December 7...has reached double figures in nine of 13 games...second on team with 11.4 points a game while averaging 3.1 assists (eighth in MIAA) and 4.8 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
Reached double figures for second time this year on December 17 against Missouri Western with 11 points...went 4 of 5 from the field that game...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 6.2 points and 3.4 rebounds...shooting 53 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 13 games in her Washburn debut after sitting out two straight years...leading the team with 8.2 rebounds a game getting double figures six times...scored season-high 16 points November 28 against Evangel while going 5 of 8 from the field and 6 of 9 from free throw line...second on the team with 15 blocks...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 7.4 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
Played her first game in over a year on December 17 against Missouri Western...went 8 of 9 from the field for game-high 17 points...transferred to Washburn midway though last year after playing junior college from 2008-09 to 2009-10...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 12 of 13 games and is averaging 6.3 points and 4.1 rebounds...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 49 percent from the field this year...averaged 2.7 points and 4.0 rebounds last year off the bench.
