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WARRENSBURG, Mo. -- The Washburn Ichabods snapped an eight-game losing streak at Central Missouri picking up a 75-67 win over the Mules wrapping up the 2011 calendar year. The Ichabods (9-3, 4-1 MIAA) will be back in action on Tuesday at Southwest Baptist.

The Ichabods led by 15 at 54-39 with 13:40 to play in the game before the Mules trimmed the lead to four at 58-54 with 6:04 to go. Washburn would go on a mini 5-0 run on a 3-pointer by Bobby Chipman and a turnover by the Mules with a dunk by Will McNeill put Washburn up nine at 63-54 with 5:23 to go.

The Mules (8-4, 3-3 MIAA) cut the lead back to five with just over four minutes to play after a jumper by Matt Webb, but the ichabods responded with a 3-pointer by Martin Mitchell with 3:47 to play putting the Ichabods up 66-58. However the Mules answered with a 3-pointer by their own by Boo Hunter with 3:17 cutting Washburn's lead to five at 66-61. A free throw by the Mules' Lance Beckwith with 2:37 to go cut the Ichabod lead to four at 66-62.

After forcing a turnover, the Ichabods McNeill was fouled going to the hole with 1:06 remaining, but came up empty.

The Mules' Widgett Washington was fouled on a drive with 42 seconds left and hit both free throws cutting the Ichabod lead to 66-64. Following a UCM timeout, Washington fouled Jeff Reid with 36 seconds left in the game sending him to the free throw line. Reid hit them both stretching Washburn's lead back to four at 68-64.

The Mules came up empty on their next trip down the court and Chipman came down with the rebound. The Mules fouled and McNeill went back to the line with 20 seconds left and hit them both giving Washburn a six-point lead at 70-64.

Hunter connected on a 3-pointer with 13.7 seconds left pulling the Mules within 70-67 as the Mules called their final timeout of the game.

The Ichabods broke the press and Alex North was fouled with 10 seconds left and hit both of his free throws putting Washburn up 72-67 and the Mules threw the ball away on their final possesion turning it back to the the Ichabods. Mitchell was fouled, hit the first free throw, missed his second but got the rebound and hit a jumper wrapping up the 75-67 win.

The Ichabods led 36-32 at the half after shooting 48 percent from the field hitting 15 of 31. Washburn struggled from outside going 3 of 11 from 3-point range. The Mules were 11 of 26 including 5 of 10 from downtown. Joseph Smith led the Ichabods in the first half hitting all five field goal attempts scoring 11 points in the first 20 minutes topping his previous career high of eight. Jeff Reid also reached double figures in the first half scoring a season-high 10 points. Washburn led by as many as six in the first half at 36-30 with 1:14 to go in the stanza.

The win was the first for the Ichabods in Warrensburg since a 75-68 win over the Mules on Feb. 15, 2003.

McNeill led the Ichabods with 22 points leading four Ichabods in double figures. He also added five steals as well. Mitchell had 15 points with five assists and five rebounds to lead the team. Reid finished with 12 points and Smith finished with 11 points all coming in the first half.

The Ichabods shot 51 percent from the field hitting 28 of 55 shots of the field. Washburn was 10 of 13 from the field.

Hunter finished with 18 points and Lance Beckwith and Dominique Long each had 12.

The Mules finished 22 of 50 from the field while going 15 of 18 from the free throw line.

The Mules outrebounded the Ichabods 33 to 24. Washburn forced 20 Central Missouri turnovers leading to 21 points off turnovers.

Washburn's bench outscored the Mules' bench 23 to 8.