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KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Washburn Ichabods advanced in the first round of the MIAA Tournament with a 67-51 win over Emporia State wrapping up the 100th win in the series. The Ichabods will advance to take on Fort Hays State on Saturday at 6 p.m. in Municipal Auditorium. The Tigers defeated Missouri Southern 103-102 in overtime Friday afternoon.

Will McNeill jump started a Washburn run turning a one-point Emporia State lead at 36-35 into a 11-point Ichabod lead while going on a 14-2 run with a traditional 3-point play. McNeill started at the run 15:05 mark of the second half and Martin Mitchell hit a pair of 3-pointers in the run and McNeill added a three of his own to stake Washburn to a 49-38 lead with 12:21.

Emporia State's Troy Pierce cut the lead to nine to stop the run with a layup. Washburn stretched the lead out to 14 after a jumper by McNeill and a jumper by Mitchell with just under seven minutes to play. After a free throw by the Hornets' Tola Lawal, the Ichabods would go on an 8-0 run pulling out to a 65-44 lead with 2:37 to play and continue on to the 16-point win.

The teams were tied at the break after the teams struggled from the field as Washburn was 9 of 28 (32 percent) and the Hornets were 10 of 25 (40 percent). The Ichabods improved to 49 percent in the second half hitting 16 of 33 shots to finish 25 of 61 from the field for the game.

Washburn also took care of the ball committing only four turnovers in the game while forcing the Hornets into 19 turnovers converting those into 24 points.

McNeill led the ichabods with 27 points collecting six rebounds and two steals to push his single season total 71 - two shy of tying the Ichabod single season record. Mitchell joined the Ichabods in double figures with 14 on 6 of 13 going 2 of 4 from 3-point range. Bobby Chipman had nine points and a team-high eight rebounds with five offensive boards.

Taylor Euler scored 12 to lead the Hornets.

Notes:
Washburn improved to 17-3 in the first round of the MIAA Tournament and 10-6 all-time in Kansas City Tournament games ... Washburn is now 4-1 against the Hornets in the MIAA Tournament ... Bob Chipman won his 30th MIAA Tournament game ... Chipman is now 30-15 all-time in the conference tournament.