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Starting introductions
The Washburn Ichabods will look to bounce back to the win column as they will travel to St. Joseph, Mo., to face the Missouri Western Griffons on Saturday starting at 3:30 p.m. The Ichabods  (13-6, 7-4 MIAA) are coming off their first home loss of the season in a 70-63 loss to Northwest Missouri. The Griffons (7-11, 2-10 MIAA) snapped an eight-game losing streak with a 72-66 win at Emporia State. It was the Griffons' first win since Dec. 7 when they topped then-No. 1-ranked Missouri Southern. The Ichabods will wrap up their brief two-game road trip at Truman on Feb. 1 in Kirksville, Mo., at 7:30 p.m.

Game Quick Facts . . .
Game No. 20 - Washburn (13-6, 7-4 MIAA) at  Missouri Western (7-11, 2-10 MIAA)
Game Notes: Washburn | Missouri Western
Date: Jan. 28, 2012
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Location: St. Joseph, Mo.
Arena: MWSU Fieldhouse
Radio: KTPK 106.9 FM
Online Audio: Through wusports.com (free)
Online Video: Through America One
Television: None
Live Stats: Through gogriffons.com
Washburn Head Coach: Bob Chipman (Kansas State, 1973) - 709-294, 33rd season
Missouri Western Head Coach: Tom Smith (Valparaiso, 1967)  - 233-163, 23rd season at MWSU / 606-440 35th season overall
Series History / Streak: WU leads 46-34 / WU - 2
Last Meeting: WU won 79-55 on Dec. 17, 2011 in Topeka

Ichabods on radio
Washburn basketball games can be heard live on KTPK 106.9 FM. The game can also be heard on the internet at www.wusports.com by following the “Live Audio” link on the basketball schedule page. Mark Elliott will have the call on the radio with Jake Lebahn providing color commentary.

The coaches
Washburn Ichabod head basketball coach Bob Chipman is in his 33rd season at the helm of the Ichabod basketball program. Chipman is 709-294 (.707) overall and he has 467 wins since the Ichabods joined the MIAA - the most of any teams in the league since the 1991-92 season. Chipman has led the Ichabods to the MIAA Tournament 19 times collecting an all-time league-best 29 wins going 29-16 with a .675 winning percentage during tournament play. In home games, Chipman has amassed a home record of 413-77 (.840) record going 359-66t in Lee Arena and 54-12 in Whiting Fieldhouse. Chipman is 11th amongst all NCAA II coaches in winning percentage who have coached at least 10 seasons. Among that group, he is second in all-time coaching victories in active coaches in career victories. Among all coaches who have at least 10 years experience in DII, he is 25th in winning percentage and seventh in victories. At Washburn he has led the Ichabods to 11 conference regular season titles (9 MIAA), 11 NCAA Tournament appearances and the 1987 NAIA National Championship. Chipman 39-29 vs Missouri Western.
Missouri Western head Tom Smith is in his 23rd season at Missouri Western and his 35th season overall as a collegiate head coach in this season. He is 233-163 overall on the Griffon bench and 606-440 overall. He is 28-27 against the Ichabods.

Last time out for the Ichabods • NWMSU 70, WU 63 • 1/25/12
TOPEKA, Kan. --  The Washburn Ichabods fell for the first time this season in Lee Arena dropping to 7-1 on the year dropping a 70-63 decision to Northwest Missouri. The loss drops the Ichabods to 13-6 overall and 7-4 in the MIAA.
Washburn jumped out to a 7-1 lead in the first three minutes of the game, but the Bearcats responded with a 14-0 run of their own over the next 5:08 to take a 15-7 lead with 11:48 to play in the first half. The run was halted by Will McNeill who connecteed on a lay up pulling Washburn within six. The Bearcats (15-3, 9-3 MIAA) would continue to hold the lead the remainder of the half until Washburn took the led at 32-31 on a jumper by Zack Riggins, but the Bearcats DeShaun Cooper scored on a drive before the half staking Northwest to a 33-32 advantage entering the break.
The Ichabods kept Northwest within 10 points until a pair of free throws by Alex Sullivan gave the Bearcats a double-digit lead with 10:01 to play but the Ichabods came back with a run of their own on back-to-back 3-pointers by Bobby Chipman and Jeff Reid on consecutive possessions cut the lead back to four with 8:29 to play in the game. Sullivan pushed the lead back to three for Northwest after a three of his own, then Chipman put in a Washburn miss to trim the lead back to five at 57-52 with 7:51 remaining.
Washburn kept the pressure on cutting the Northwest lead to one at 57-56 with 6:30 to play after a pair of Reid charity tosses the Ichabods forced a turnover but came up empty on a 3-point attempt. The Bearcats would hit three of their next four free throws to build the lead back to four with 4:07 remaining and a lay up by McNeill cut the margin back to two. Washburn cut the lead back to one with 1:07 to go in the game after a free throw by Chipman, but the Bearcats would hit all six of their free throws in the final 34 seconds to hang on for the seven-point win.
Washburn was led by McNeill who had 24 points and Chipman recorded his first Washburn double double with 11 points and 10 rebounds with seven coming on the offensive end. The Bearcats had five reach double figures led by Reinders' 16 with 14 coming in the first half. Kyle Haake had 14 to go with 10 rebounds while DeAngelo Hailey had 14 as well. Sullivan had 12 and DeShaun Cooper added 11.
Washburn was outrebounded 31 to 26 while the Bearcats shot 53 percent against the Ichabods hitting 20 of 38 shots. Washburn finished at 38 percent hitting 21 off 55 attempts. The Bearcats finished 23 of 29 from the free throw line while the ichabods were 16 of 21. The Ichabods did force 16 Northwest turnoves leading to 22 points for Washburn.   

About Missouri Western
The Griffons are 7-11 and 2-10 in MIAA after snapping an eight-game losing streak with a 72-66 win over Emporia State on the road. It was the Griffons' first win since a 75-67 win over Missouri Southern on Dec. 7, 2011. TJ Johnson leads the team with 12.9 ppg while James Harris is scoring with 12.7 ppg right above Lavonte Douglas' 12.0 ppg . Douglas is also pulling down a team-high 7.6 rpg. The Griffons are averaging 65.3 ppg while allowing 66.4 ppg. MWSU is 5-5 this season in home games going 1-5 in MIAA match ups.
 
Series history with MIssouri Western
Saturday's meeting will be the 81st meeting between the two schools with Washburn leading the series 46-34. The Ichabods are 22-19 against MWSU in MIAA games and 20-9 in Lee Arena. The Ichabods have dropped the last four games played in St. Joseph, not winning since a 77-62 victory on Jan. 27, 2007. In the MIAA Tournament the Ichabods are 3-4 against the Griffons. Since joining the MIAA, the Ichabods are 7-17 in MIAA games played in St. Joseph. The series is tied a 4-4 in overtime games.
 
Last meeting with MWSU • WU 79, MWSU 55 • 12/17/11
TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Washburn Ichabods forced 17 first half turnovers and held Missouri Western to seven first half field goals as the ichabods won their third straight game and for the seventh time in the last eight games in a 79-55 win over the Griffons.
The Ichabods led from start to finish in the game as Washburn (8-3, 3-1 MIAA) came out hitting 14 of 30 shots in the opening stanza while the Griffons coughed up the ball 17 times leading to 24 points off turnovers. Washburn's Will McNeill scored 15 of his 20 points in the first half including a buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the halftime horn staking the Ichabods to a 40-24 lead at the break. The difference for the the Ichabods in the first half was a 21-2 run puthsing the score from 11-10 with 11 minutes left in the half to a 32-12 lead with 4:05 to play in the frame.
In the second half, the Griffons (6-5, 1-4 MIAA) came out and cut the lead to six at 42-36 going on a 12-2 run over the first 3:40 of the half, but the Ichabods pushed the led back to 11 before the Griffons again cut the lead to seven at 47-40 with 14:07 to play in the game. However the Ichabods used a 19-5 run to stretch the lead to 18 and eventually to as many as the final margin of 24 in the win.
Alex North and McNeill tied for game-high honors with 20 points each. Martin Mitchell scored 14 points. Bobby Chipman had a game-high seven rebounds tying career highs with four assists and three blocks.
Alex Tuluka-Mfumupembe led the Griffons with 12 points, going a perfect 4-4 from the 3-point line.
Washburn recorded 38 points off of Missouri Western turnovers while recording 16 steals in the game.  

Last time out for MWSU • MWSU 72, ESU 66 • 1/25/12
(Jan. 25, 2012) – (MWSU Media Relations) -- After being on the losing end of heartbreaker after heartbreaker, the Western men could finally breathe easy Wednesday night.
The Griffons defeated Emporia State 72-66  in White Auditorium to snap their 8-game losing streak this season, picking up their first road win at Emporia in five years.
Western shot 51.1% from the field and had a balanced offensive effort, dishing out 17 assists, with five Griffons scoring at least 8 points,
James Harris led Western with 20 points, while Lavonte Douglas and Sean Tarver added 12.  T.J. Johnson chipped in 9, while Alex Taluka-Mfumupe had 8.
The Griffons took the lead four minutes into the first half, and never gave it back, leading by double digits most of the game.  Emporia cut the lead to single digits late.

Bod tweets . . . 140-character or less notes on the ichabods
• In Washburn's wins the Ichabods are -79 in turnovers, the losses they are -2 compared to their opponents #GoodHandsTeam
• The Ichabods are 21 of 100 (.210) from 3-point range in their four losses #Ouch
• Washburn is shooting 76 of 196 (.388) from 3-point range in the wins #MuchBetter
• Opponents are 44 of 125 (.352) from 3-point range in Washburn's losses #DefendTheLongBall
• Will McNeill (20.7 ppg) is the only Ichabod averaging double figures in the WU losses #NeedScoringHelp
• Washburn is second in the MIAA in scoring defense at 62.6 ppg #TenaciousD
• Washburn leads the MIAA in defensive field goal percentage at .387 #PressureD
• The Ichabods are second (9.6) in the MIAA in steals per game #GoodHands
• Washburn is leading the MIAA in turnover margin (+4.1) #TakingCareOfTheBall
• The Ichabods are third in the MIAA in rebounding defense at 31.1 rpg #Boards
• Washburn is third in the MIAA in offensive rebounds at 12.9 rpg #SecondChances
• Will McNeill is third in the MIAA in scoring and 12th in rebounding (18.9 ppg/5.7 rpg) #HeIsAGuardPeople
• Alex North is 16th in the MIAA in rebounding at 5.3 per game #GlassMan
• Bobby Chipman is 17th in the MIAA in rebounding at 5.0 rpg #Boards
• Martin Mitchell is 15th in the MIAA in scoring at 12.1 ppg #ScoringWithWill
• Will McNeill is 3rd in the MIAA in FG % at .484 (125 of 258) #SelectiveShooting
• North is 7th in the MIAA in FT percentage .804 #Pure
• Will McNeill leads the MIAA in steals at 2.8 per game #QuickHands
• Martin Mitchell is sixth in the MIAA in assists with 3.4 per game #DishingTheBall
• Will McNeill needs 142 points to reach 1,000 for his career #WhenNotIf

Ichabod Player Notes
#4  • Jared Henry  • G • 6-1 • 170 • So. • Ten field goal attempts against NWMSU career high (3 makes)
#5  • Jeff Reid  • G • 6-6 • 190 • So. • At least one 3-pointer in 8 of last 10 games
#10  • Will McNeill  • G • 6-1 • 190 • Jr. • 143 career steals 3rd on all-time chart (156-Canfield, 149-Summler)
#11  • Kyle Wiggins  • G • 6-2 • 165 • Fr. • 15 of 27 from field in last five games (8.0 ppg)
#12  • Martin Mitchell  • G • 6-0 • 185 • Jr. • Scoreless for the 1st time this season against NWMSU
#14  • Christian Ulsaker  • F • 6-5 • 190 • Fr. • Averaging 5.0 ppg in last 5 (9 of 19 from field - .474)
#15  • Mitch Allen  • G • 5-9 • 165 • Jr. • Has hit 30 career 3-pointers (30 of 86 attempts)
#20  • Bobby Chipman  • F • 6-8 • 210 • Jr. • 11 rebounds against NWMSU was career high
#21  • Joseph Smith  • F • 6-9 • 235 • Jr. • 7 of 13 from the field in the last three games (5.0 ppg)
#22  • Alex North  • F • 6-6 • 210 • So. • Scored 20 in last meeting against MWSU on 5 of 6 shooting
#24  • Zack Riggins  • F • 6-6 • 230 • RS-Jr. • Six of ten from the field in the last two games

Ichabod Basketball HIstory
Washburn is 1,417-980 (.590 in 2,397 games) in its 106th season of intercollegiate action. The Ichabods are the 10th-winningest team in NCAA Division II history and the 26th winningest team this decade. The Ichabods are 468-210 since joining the NCAA Division II ranks, which is the most since the 1989-90 season in the MIAA.

Home sweet home . . . the Ichabods in Lee Arena
The Ichabods are 359-66 (.848) all-time in Lee Arena - the 28th season of play. The Ichabods recorded a school-best 28-game winning streak from Nov. 19, 1993 to Feb. 8, 1995 in Lee Arena.

Up Next
The Ichabods will wrap up their brief two-game road trip at Truman on Feb. 1 in Kirksville, Mo., at 7:30 p.m. Washburn will then return home for a three-game home stretch beginning with Fort Hays State on Feb. 4 followed by Central Missouri on Feb. 8 and Southwest Baptist on Feb. 11.