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Pregame
The No. 2-ranked Washburn Ichabods will tip off the 2012-13 season by hosting Peru State on Wednesday, Nov. 14 in Lee Arena. The Ichabods lost to No. 7 Kansas in their final exhibition game of the season in a 62-50 loss in Allen Fieldhouse. Peru State enters the game with a 2-2 record topping St. Mary 86-84 in overtime last time out.

Opening Tip . . .
Game Notes: Washburn | Peru State
Date: Nov. 14, 2012
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Topeka, Kan.
Arena: Lee Arena (3,904)
Radio: KTPK 106.9 FM
Online Audio: Through wusports.com (free)
Online Video: none
Television: none
Live Stats: Through wusports.com
Media Live Stats: Through wusports.com
Twitter Updates: twitter.com/wusports
Series: WU leads 10-1

'Bod Quick notes
• This is the 107th season of Ichabod basketball.
• Washburn lost to Kansas State 81-61 in its first exhibition on Oct. 30 and 83-66 to Oklahoma on Nov. 2 and to Kansas 62-50 in its three exhibition games.
• Washburn finished the 2011-12 season 25-8 winning both the MIAA regular conference title and the MIAA Tournament championship.
• The Ichabods are ranked No. 2 in the NABC preseason top 25 coaches poll and the coaches pick to win the MIAA this season. Washburn was No. 4 in the Bulletin Preseason Poll.
• The preseason ranking is the highest the Ichabods have been tabbed in the preseason poll since they were selected No. 3 during the 2004-05 initial top 25 poll.
• Washburn reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2012.
• The Ichabods wrapped up exhibition play this season 3-3 going 3-0 on their 10-day trip to Europe and 0-3 in the three Big 12 exhibition games against Kansas State, Oklahoma and Kansas.
• Will McNeill led the Ichabods in scoring in the six exhibition games averaging 19.2 points per game hitting 37 of 75 shots from the field.
• Bobby Chipman led the team with 8.3 rebounds per game.
• Martin Mitchell (11.3), Joseph Smith (10.3) and Christian Ulsaker (10.0) also averaged double figure scoring.

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
• He is in his 34th season at the helm of the Ichabods.
• Ichabod head coach Bob Chipman is a 1973 graduate of Kansas State earning both his undergraduate and master's degree in Manhattan.
• He is 721-296 overall.
• He has 480 wins since the Ichabods joined the MIAA, the most of any conference school since the 1989-90 season.
• Has led the Ichabods to 12 MIAA regular season titles and a MIAA-coaching tops of five postseason tournament championships.
• He has led the Ichabods to 12 NCAA National Tournament appearances.
• In home games, he is 417-77 going 364-66 in Lee Arena.
• He is second in all-time coaching victories in active NCAA Division II coaches.
• His 721 coaching wins is 25th in all-time NCAA coaches at all levels.
• He led the Ichabods to the 1987 NAIA National Championship and a 2001 NCAA National game, which was later vacated by Kentucky Wesleyan.
• Chipman played for legendary coach Jack Hartman earning two letters.
• He is 3-0 against Peru State.

Peru State head coach Tony Katen . . .
• is in his fifth season as the head coach of the Bobcats and is 17-106 overall.
• prior to his stint at CMU, Katen spent five years at Hastings College.
• is 0-3 against the Ichabods.

Ichabod season preview
Ichabods eye return trip to NCAA Tournament, MIAA Titles
Coming into the 2012-13 season the bulls eye has been clearly marked on the Ichabods' back. Washburn was preseason ranked No. 2 in the nation in the NABC top 25 coaches poll after winning the MIAA title last season as well as the MIAA Tournament championship in Kansas City. Washburn reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament and returns 90 percent of its scoring, 94 percent of its rebounding so expectations will be high entering the season. The Ichabods finished last season with a 25-8 record and return nine players who saw action last season headlined by All-American and first team all-MIAA selection Will McNeill. Washburn also has a pair of senior honorable mention all-MIAA picks in Martin Mitchell and Bobby Chipman. Joined by two other seniors in Zack Riggins and Joseph Smith, the Ichabods are an experienced group who look to exceed last season's run to the MIAA title.

Guards
Washburn back court returns an All-American, All-MIAA selection and depth entering the season
The Washburn back court will have seven returners and will be led by All-American selection Will McNeill and honorable mention all-MIAA pick Martin Mitchell. McNeill recorded one of the best seasons in school history after averaging 20.2 ppg earning NABC and Daktronics All-American honors. McNeill was also named the MIAA Tournament MVP becoming the first Ichabod to win the award while setting the Washburn single-season record for steals with 76 and the career steals record with his 165th. Mitchell averaged 10.2 ppg while leading the team with 119 assists averaging 3.6 per game which was fourth in the MIAA. Junior Jared Henry averaged 4.0 points per game last season in his first year as an Ichabod including a career-high 18 against Lincoln. Sophomore Kyle Wiggins scored 5.4 ppg off the bench in his first season as an Ichabod. A pair of redshirt juniors in Bryce Simons and Leon Flowers will compete for time this season. Simons has averaged 2.5 points a game in his career starting 20 games while Flowers sat out the season after transferring from Colorado State-Pueblo following his sophomore season. Another redshirt, Dalton Abel, will also be ready to play this season after practicing with the Ichabods this  season. Incoming freshman Khai Hutchinson was a four-year letterwinner at Leavenworth High School where he shared back court duties with Kyle Wiggins.

Forwards
Ichabods will have an experienced front court with five returners coming back from last season
Three of Washburn's five returning seniors call the front court home entering the 2012-13 season. None of the five returning forwards have played in fewer than 30 games in their career at Washburn. Last season Bobby Chipman averaged career-best of 7.3 points and 5.8 rebounds while defensively he blocked 31 shots during the season en route to honorable mention all-MIAA honors. Also returning is fellow starter Zack Riggins who started 30 of 33 games as a junior scoring 6.2 points with 3.3 rebounds a game, topping his sophomore averages of 1.7 and 0.2 rebounds a game. The last returning senior in the grouping is Joseph Smith who averaged 4.2 points per game and 2.5 rebounds a game as a junior. On the Ichabods' trip to Europe, Smith averaged 11.7 points and 6.3 rebounds a game playing only 17 minutes per contest in the three Ichabod wins.
Also returning is junior Alex North who nearly doubled his scoring output between his freshman and sophomore years averaging 6.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game last season up from 3.3 and 2.2 respectively. Sophomore Christian Ulsaker averaged 3.0 points and 1.7 rebounds a game as a freshman, but scored a career-high 14 against Northwest Missouri in the Ichabods' opening NCAA first round game and then was the team's third-leading scorer on the trip to Europe after averaging 13.7 points per game with 7.7 rebound per game average. Joining the Ichabod front court will be a pair of freshmen in Evan Robinson and Colton Anderson. Robinson was an honorable mention all-state pick after scoring 13 points with 6.0 rebounds a game last season. Anderson, who missed the first half of his senior season with an injury averaged six points and six rebounds a game and on his summer club team he scored 15 points and 12 rebounds a game. He is scheduled to redshirt this coming season.

Last time out for the Ichabods • Kansas 62, Washburn 50 • 11/5/12
LAWRENCE, Kan. -- The No. 2-ranked Washburn Ichabods scored just as many as the No. 7 Division I-ranked Kansas Jayhawks in the second as the Ichabods wrapped up exhibition play with a 62-50 loss.
The Ichabods held the Jayhawks to 26 points in the final 24 minutes of the game after Washburn and Kansas each scored 6 points in the second half.
Washburn led at 7-5 and 10-5 in the first half after a 3-pointer by Bobby Chipman with 16:01 to play in the first half. The Jayhawks took the lead back at 12-10, but a 3-pointer by Alex North with 12:39 left put Washburn back up at 13-12. A 3-pointer by Elijah Johnson would give the Jayhawks the lead for good as they would go on to lead at 34-19 with 5:29 remaining in the half. A 3-pointer by Jared Henry would pull the Ichabods back within 12 at 36-24 with 2:24 to play sending the teams into the locker room as neither team would score the rest of the half.
In the second half, the Ichabods held the Jayhawks to only seven field goals as Kansas finished 7 of 18 in the second half from the field, but were 11 of 17 from the free throw line compared to 9 of 14 for the Ichabods. Kansas led by no more than 16 in the second half.
The Ichabods were led by Will McNeill who had 13 points and six rebounds while Chipman finished with seven points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Alex North had five points, six rebounds and four steals for the Ichabods. Ben McLemore had 17 points and 10 rebounds to led the Jayhawks.
Washburn forced 24 Jayhawk turnovers leading to 16 points for the Ichabods. The Ichabods had 18 turnovers leading to 12 for Kansas. Washburn had 12 second chance points compared to three for the Ichabods and Washburn had 13 fastbreak points compared to eight for Kansas and the Ichabods had 18 steals compared to 11 for Kansas.

About Peru State
• The Bobcats are 2-2 this season.
• Last time out on Nov. 10, the Bobcats beat Saint Mary (Kan.) 86-84 in overtime at the Ottawa Invitational.
• Derrick Williams leads the team with 20.5 ppg as well as 2.0 steals per game.
• Topeka native Richard Oppitz leads the Bobcats with 9.8 rebounds per game.
 
Series history with Peru State
• Washburn leads the all-time series 10-1.
• Washburn has won the last seven games in the series.
• The lone win for the Bobcats in the series came on Dec. 20, 1962 in a 60-54 win on the road.

Last meeting with Peru State
Nov. 22, 2012 -- TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Washburn Ichabods improved to 27-1 in Lee Arena home openers as they cruised to a 97-72 win over Peru State Monday night in Topeka.
Both teams shot about 54 percent in the first half as the Ichabods (3-2) took a 50-37 lead into the break. There were seven score ties and four lead changes in the first 20 minutes and the Bobcats (1-8) would lead by as many as three at 5-2, but it would be a short-lived advantage last one Ichabod possession and 18 seconds when Washburn's Will McNeill quickly tied the score on his first 3-pointer of the night. Washburn would go on to lead by as many as 13 in the first half with the largest margin coming on a lay up with 30 seconds to go by McNeill wrapping up his 13th point of the half.
In the second half, the Ichabods continued to burn the nets hitting 20 of 34 shots connecting on 59 percent of their shots overall while going 4 of 5 from 3-point range as the Ichabods stretched their lead out to as many as 27 in the final frame.
McNeill led three Ichabods in double figures scoring 21 points. Alex North scored 14 and Martin Mitchell scored 13. Bobby Chipman scored nine points while pulling down a game-high eight rebounds tying a career-high with three blocks. The Ichabods recorded 15 steals forcing 25 Bobcat turnovers. McNeill finished with a career-high seven steals to pace Washburn. All 13 Ichabods suited up for the game scored.
Derrick Williams scored 25 to lead the Bobcats. Peter Knudson scored 15 and Eric Donald scored 13 off the bench.
Washburn finished 40 of 71 from the field hitting 56 percent of their shots in the game while the Bobcats were just under 50 percent at 49 after hitting 26 of 53 shots. Washburn held a 32 to 27 advantage on the glass while recording 25 fast break points compared to four for the Bobcats.       

Bod bits
• Will McNeill was named a preseason All-American by the Basketball Times. He is the first Ichabod to receive preseason All-American honors since Travis Robbins prior to the 2004-05 season.
• The Ichabods are 27-1 in home openers including a win in last year's first game of the season.  • Washburn's only loss in the first game of the season in Lee Arena came on Nov. 16, 1990 when the Ichabods lost to Friends 89-88.
• In season openers the Ichabods are 73-32-1 all-time in season openers.
• Under head coach Bob Chipman the Ichabods are 29-4.
• The three freshman on the Ichabod roster (Khai Hutchinson, Evan Robinson and Colton Anderson) are all redshirting this season.

Bod tweets . . . 140-character or less notes on the ichabods recapping the 2011-12 season
• Washburn tied for the team lead in scoring defense allowing 62.6 ppg #TenaciousD
• Washburn led the MIAA in field goal defensive percentage at .400 #PressureD
• Washburn led the MIAA in scoring margin +9.9 ppg #BigOBigD
• Washburn led the MIAA in free throw percentage at .740 (511 of 691) #AntiShaq
• The Ichabods were third in the MIAA last season (8.5) in steals per game #QuickHands
• Washburn led the MIAA in turnover margin (+4.0) #TakingCareOfTheRock
• Washburn was second in the MIAA in offensive rebounds at 12.3 rpg #SecondChances
• Washburn was third in the league in rebounding margin at +3.5 #boards
• Will McNeill finished second in the MIAA in scoring and 14th in rebounding (20.2 ppg/5.5 rpg) #HeIsAGuardPeople
• Bobby Chipman finished 11th in the MIAA in rebounding at 5.8 rpg #GlassMan
• Will McNeill finished fourth in the MIAA in FG% at .484 (229 of 473) #SelectiveShooting
• Will McNeill finished sixth in the MIAA in FT percentage .819 (185 of 226) #LineTime
• Will McNeill led the MIAA in steals at 2.3 per game #QuickHands
• Bobby Chipman was eighth in the MIAA in blocked shots with 0.9 per #RejectionCity
• Martin Mitchell was seventh in the MIAA in assists with 3.7 per game #DishingTheBall

Ichabod Basketball HIstory
• Washburn is 1,431-969-2 all-time in 2,402 games played
• The 2012-13 season is Washburn's 107th of basketball.
• Washburn is the ninth-winningest program in NCAA Division II history.
• The Ichabods are 477-212 since joining the NCAA Division II ranks, which is the most wins by any program in the MIAA since the 1989-90 season.
• Washburn has won ten MIAA regular season championships and 21 conference championships in school history.
• The Ichabods previously won the MIAA regular season championship in 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2012.

Home sweet home
• The Ichabods are 364-66 (.848) all-time in Lee Arena.
• The 2012-13 season marks the 28th season of play in Lee Arena.
• The Ichabods recorded a school-best 28-game winning streak from Nov. 19, 1993 to Feb. 8, 1995 in Lee Arena.

Up Next
Washburn will not play again until Nov. 19 when they host Bethany in Lee Arena, but will then face Rockhurst in the Sprint Center in Kansas City the following day at 2 p.m. The game will have free admission in the game with the Hawks. Washburn will then travel to the St. Mary's Rattler Invitational in San Antonio, Texas to face the host squad on Nov. 23 and then take on Minnesota-Duluth on the following day. The Ichabods will return home to face Bellevue on Dec. 1 and then open MIAA play on Dec. 6 against Southwest Baptist in Topeka.