Game 21 Lady Blues at Missouri Western
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No. 14 Washburn Lady Blues (17-3, 10-1 MIAA)
at Missouri Western (5-12, 3-9 MIAA)
Date: Saturday, January 28, 2012
Time: 1:30 p.m.
Location: St. Joseph, Mo.
Arena: MWSU Fieldhouse (3,750)
Radio: 106.9 KTPK FM with Mark Elliott (play-by-play) & Jake Lebahn (color)
Video: America One (fee)
Series Record: WU leads 45-38
Last Meeting: WU 87-63 on 12/17/11 (H)
Washburn Coach Ron McHenry: 307-63 (.830) in 12th year at WU and overall
MWSU Coach Lynn Plett: 44-81 (.352) in fifth year at MWSU and 319-315 (.503) in 16th year overall
Micro-Blogging the Blues
(Around) 140-character or less tweets highlighting the season
Laura Kinderknecht is averaging 10.8 points, and 3.4 assists since starting the last five games. She's scored 10 or more three times #StartingFive
The Lady Blues have topped 50% seven times and are third in the nation shooting .477 from the field in latest NCAA report #NearlyBetterThanHalf
Washburn's in the top 10 in the nation in five different statistical categories #Top10InNation
Tiara George is 35 of 49 from the field (.714) in her eight games and averaging 9.1 after sitting out over a year ppg #RoyalDebut
Washburn has out-rebounded its opponents in every game this year but three, the loss at Drury and wins at PSU and Lincoln #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 .830 winning pct. #300wins
The Lady Blues are averaging 22.3 turnovers a game in their three losses and just 14.2 a game in their 17 wins #KeepTheBall!
Washburn is shooting 47.7% overall and 49.5% in MIAA games. They've topped 50% 7 times this year. #SolidFromTheFloor
Stevi Schultz has moved into 2nd in career 3s at WU, now with 183 #WayDownTown
Lady Blues look for season sweep over Missouri Western in trip to St. Joseph Saturday
The 14th-ranked Lady Blues will look for their eighth straight win and a season sweep over Missouri Western as they take on the Griffons Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in the MWSU Fieldhouse. The game will be carried live on 106.9 FM and links to live video, audio and statistics can be found on wusports.com.
Washburn improved to 17-3 and 10-1 in the MIAA with an 81-56 win Wednesday in Lee Arena over Northwest Missouri. They haven't lost since a December 10 setback to Truman. The Griffons lost their fourth straight Wednesday at Emporia State, 73-65, and they're 5-12 overall and 3-9 in the MIAA. The Lady Blues are half a game out of first place in the MIAA behind Pittsburg State while the Griffons are in a tie for eighth.
The Lady Blues are led in scoring by senior guard
Ebonie Williams with 14.2 points a game. She's topped 20 points in each of the last three games. Senior forward Jessica Koch leads the Griffons and the MIAA with 23.3 points a game.
Last Time Out: Washburn 81, Northwest Missouri 56
TOPEKA, Kan. - The Lady Blues led by at least 20 most of the second half as they cruised to an 81-56 win over Northwest Missouri Wednesday night in Lee Arena.
Washburn improved to 17-3 overall and 10-1 in the MIAA and stayed within half a game of first place in the MIAA behind Pittsburg State. The Bearcats fell to 4-15 and 2-10 in the league as they lost all three during their now finished three-game road trip.
Ebonie Williams had her third straight game with 20 or more points as she went 8 of 12 from the field with four 3-pointers for 22 points.
Laura Kinderknecht started her fifth straight game and scored 12 with two 3s and a 6 of 6 performance from the free throw line.
Casyn Buchman reached double figures for the first time in her young career with 11 points. She went 4 for 7 off the bench with three 3-pointers.
Tiara George had her first double-figure rebound game with a team-high 13.
Buchman's 3-pointer at the 14:24 mark in the first half gave Washburn a 10-point lead. The Bearcats cut it back to eight but Washburn used a 14-2 run to take a 30-11 lead at the 7:18 mark.
Williams scored 10 straight for Washburn during that stretch and ended the opening half with 20 points. She was 7 of 9 from the field and 4 of 5 from long range.
The Lady Blues led 46-23 at halftime and shot 53 percent in the opening period. The Bearcats shot 29 percent and were 0 of 7 from 3-point range.
After out-scoring Northwest Missouri by 23 points in the first half, Washburn ended the second half with just a two-point advantage. The Lady Blues shot 29 percent in the half while NWMSU managed a 41 percent effort.
Despite the difference in shooting, the Lady Blues never let the Bearcats get any closer than 18 in the second half. The Bearcats scored the first five points in the half before an 8-0 run gave Washburn a 26-point lead. Northwest got it under 20 once more in the game at the 7:45 mark but a 3-pointer from Kinderknecht made it a 77-50 Washburn with 4:02 remaining.
Sierra Moeller's lay-up at 2:34 made it a game-high 29-point lead for Washburn.
The Lady Blues ended the game shooting 41 percent while the Bearcats were 34 percent. Washburn made 9 of 26 3-pointers and Northwest made 4 of 14.
Kinderknecht and
Megan Lassley led Washburn with five assists each. Lassley was playing her first game after missing four due to injury.
Washburn collected 55 rebounds, the second-highest total this year, while the Bearcats had 35. The Lady Blues had 15 turnovers to NWMSU's 14.
Ashleigh Nelson had 13 points while Abby Henry had 11 for the Bearcats.
Final notes on the NWMSU game
Washburn swept the season series and is now 45-10 all-time against the Bearcats…the Lady Blues have won eight of the last nine in the series…Washburn is 28-2 all-time in Lee Arena against the Bearcats, winning 28 straight after losing the first two in the series…
Ebonie Williams is averaging 19.0 points in the last six games, reaching 20 or more four times…
Laura Kinderknecht is averaging 8.8 points a game since starting the last five and she's reached double figures three times.
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 gave him the 300th win in his career, all at WU. McHenry now has a 307-63 (.830) 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 had reached the 300-win level and McHenry became 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 jump two spots to 14th in USA Today ESPN national poll
The Lady Blues continued their climb in the poll, this time jumping two spots to 14th in the latest USA Today ESPN Division II Top 25 Coaches' Poll released Tuesday.
Washburn is one of three ranked MIAA teams. Pittsburg State is 16th and Emporia State is 17th.
The Lady Blues were 16th in the previous poll and they have been ranked in all nine polls this year. They were left out of the final poll last year but have been ranked in 149 of the last 150 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.
Lady Blues remain near top of several NCAA statistical categories
The Lady Blues are in the top 12 of seven different statistical categories in the January 22 NCAA report. Washburn ranks in the top five in the nation in rebound margin (+12.3), scoring margin (21.5), field goal percentage (.477) and 3-point field goal percentage (.401). The Lady Blues are in the top 13 in assists per game, assist to turnover ratio, field goal percentage defense and scoring defense.
Ebonie Williams ranks 35th in the nation shooting .526 from the field and
Stevi Schultz is 32nd in 3-point field goal percentage (.409) and 37th in 3-pointers per game (2.5).
The Lady Blues rank highly in rebounds because they have only been out-rebounded three times this year. Their shooting percentages are helped by the fact that they've shot 50 percent or better from the field eight times and 45 percent or better from long range eight times. They have only allowed opponents to shoot 40 percent or better once this year.
Schultz takes over 2nd in career 3-pointers at Washburn
Senior guard
Stevi Schultz is second in school history, now with 183 3-pointers in her career. Earlier this year she 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 39 percent from 3-point range. Schultz' 82 3-pointers last year was the fourth-highest single-season total in school history.
Schultz nears 1,000 points
Stevi Schultz has 915 career points in her four years at Washburn and her 11.1 points a game this year has her on average to pass 1,000 points before the regular season ends. She would become the 21st Lady Blue to reach 1,000 career points. Corkey Stiger was the last to reach that milestone, scoring 1,047 in two seasons from 2006-08.
Season Flash Backs: Don't Forget...
Four in a row over 50: The Lady Blues topped the 50 percent mark in field goal shooting in four straight games, all MIAA contests, from December 10 to January 3. They averaged a .562 field goal percentage during that stretch.
Keeping 'em under 40: The Lady Blues kept their first 13 opponents to under 40 percent shooting. Central Missouri's .469 effort on December 31 was the first to top 40 percent. Prior to that game, teams were shooting just 32 percent against Washburn.
300th win for McHenry: Lady Blues coach
Ron McHenry got his 300th career win, all at Washburn, on December 17 against Missouri Western.
Last-second heartrbreak:
Sierra Moeller tied the game December 10 against Truman with 29 seconds left but Bulldog Megan Sharpe made a jumper as time expired to give TSU an upset over then-No. 15 Washburn in Lee Arena.
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.
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 Missouri Western
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.
21st-ranked Washburn improved to 10-3 and 3-1 in the MIAA and will take 13 days off before traveling to No. 22 Central Missouri for a 1:30 p.m. December 31 game.
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.
Up next for the Lady Blues
The Lady Blues will play at Truman on February 1 prior to returning home to face Fort Hays State on February 4 beginning a three-game stretch in Lee Arena. Starting with the Tigers, the Lady Blues will play five of their final seven games in the friendly confines of 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...played in first six games this year and nine 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 20 games...had career-high four assists November 28 against Evangel...scored career-high 11 points January 25 against NWMSU with three 3-pointers...scored eight points three times including January 18 against Lincoln...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 12 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 20 games this year and has started the last five games...averaging 5.8 points and 2.2 rebounds a game...averaging 2.2 assists a game after getting five on January 25 against NWMSU...is averaging 10.8 points a game in her five starts and is 47 percent (7 of 15) from 3-point range during that stretch...had season-high 14 points January 11 at PSU with 5 of 11 performance from the field...had a career-high eight rebounds January 7 against MSSU...had a career high eight free throws during 8 for 8 performance from the line on January 14 against ESU...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 in 10 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 13 games this year with 12 points and four assists...scored five points against CSUDH with a 3-pointer...had her first points in MIAA action with a 3-pointer January 3 at Southwest Baptist...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 five games this year with three rebounds and two points in 11 minutes...scored her first field goal of the year January 7 against MSSU...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 20...averaging 4.1 points, 1.9 assists and 3.1 rebounds...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 11 games this year...third on the team averaging 10.2 points a game...second on team averaging 5.8 rebounds and leads team with 1.6 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 had started seven straight before missing four straight with an injury...returned to action January 25 against NWMSU and had five assists...shot 5 of 6 November 14 against Tabor for 14 points, one off her career high...scoring 4.3 points with 1.9 rebounds and 1.9 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 13 games...averaging 3.3 points and 2.0 rebounds...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 20 games...shooting 53 percent this year, which was third best in the MIAA and 35th in the nation in most recent reports, and 48 percent from 3-point range...has topped 20 points in last three games...has scored in double figures in 16 of her 20 games this year...leads Washburn with 14.2 points a game...set a team season-high with 23 points January 3 at Southwest Baptist...had 21 points, 6 assists and no turnovers in a win over Lincoln on Jan. 18...scored team-high 21 points January 14 against No. 18 Emporia State with three 3-pointers...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 183...had first double-double of the year with 12 points and 13 rebounds at FHSU on December 7...has reached double figures in 12 of 20 games...second on team with 11.1 points a game while averaging 2.9 assists and 4.6 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 5.1 points and 2.7 rebounds...shooting 55 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 20 games in her Washburn debut after sitting out two straight years...leading the team with 7.4 rebounds a game getting double figures seven 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 18 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...her second game, December 31 at UCM, she went 5 for 5 for 10 points and has scored double figures in three games this year...is 35 of 49 (.714) from the field this year...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 four games for nine 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 18 games and is averaging 4.8 points and 3.1 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 48 percent from the field this year...averaged 2.7 points and 4.0 rebounds last year off the bench.
