Opening Tip

• The Washburn Ichabod men's basketball team will return to action on Jan. 4 to open the 2014 calendar year with their first game since Dec. 22 at Missouri Western.

• Washburn is 10-1 overall and 3-1 in MIAA play coming off an 82-64 win over Lindenwood last time out.

• Missouri Western is 6-5 and 1-2 in league play falling at Central Oklahoma 92-75 in its last game on Dec. 21. 

• Ichabod head coach Bob Chipman picked up win No. 750 on the Ichabod bench in Washburn's win over Lindenwood.

 Bod Notes

• The Washburn Ichabods have won 509 games since becoming a member of the NCAA Division II ranks prior to the start of the 1989-89 season - which is the most by any member of the MIAA during that stretch.

• The Ichabods have only played four games since Dec. 5.

• Ichabod junior Christian Ulsaker will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a broken bone in his shooting hand in practice. He was averaging career-bests of 13.0 ppg and 3.8 rpg. He will apply for a medical redshirt as he played in only four games.

 Ichabods on Radio

Washburn games will be broadcast on AM 580 WIBW radio with Mark Elliott and Jake Lebahn calling the action. The game will also be streamed live on the wusports.com website by following the listen live links on the men's basketball schedule page.

 The Coaches

Washburn Ichabod head basketball coach Bob Chipman 

• is in his 35th season at the helm of the Ichabods.

• a 1973 graduate of Kansas State earning both his undergraduate and master's degree in Manhattan.

• is 750-305 overall.

• has 509 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 MIAA tournament championships.

• has led the Ichabods to 12 NCAA National Tournament appearances.

• in home games, he is 435-79 going 384-68 in Lee Arena.

• is second in all-time coaching victories in active NCAA Division II coaches.

• his 750 coaching wins is 22nd in all-time NCAA coaches at all levels.

• 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.

Missouri Western head coach Brett Weiberg

• Brett Weiberg begins his first season at Missouri Western and his 8th season overall.

• Weiberg has compiled 135 career victories in eight seasons, led Northern Oklahoma to a 27-4 overall record and the OCAC conference regular season championship in the 2012-2013 campaign. He holds a 135-92 career record. He is 6-5 at the helm of the Griffons.

• Weiberg brings 15 years of collegiate coaching experience to Missouri Western and has experience in coaching at a multitude of levels. He began his coaching career in 1998 as an assistant at Blinn Junior College in Brenham, Texas. Following stints at NAIA Wayland Baptist University and Division I Texas-San Antonio, he found a home at Northern Oklahoma College where he spent five years as an assistant before becoming the head coach in 2006. 

 Ichabod Player Notes

#3 • Jeff Reid • Has gone 7 of 13 from the field in the last two games averaging 9.5 ppg adding 5.0 rebounds per contest.

#4 • Andy Wilson • Has gone 8 of 11 from the free throw line this season going 6 of 7 in the last three games from the charity stripe.

#5 • Korey Fisher • Has hit 7 of 8 free throws in the last three games while averaging 5.3 ppg in the same time span.

#11 • Kyle Wiggins • double figures in each of the last 10 games after scoring four in the season opener against Rollins. 

#13 • Chris Deanes • Hit off three of his field goal attempts against Lindenwood last time out scoring 10 points hitting all four free throws as well.

#14 • Christian Ulsaker • will miss the rest of the season with a wrist injury and will apply for a medical redshirt playing in only four games.

#15 • Evan Robinson • has two rebounds this season.

#21 • Chris Davis • Tied a season-high with eight points on 3 of 6 shooting hitting both 3-point attempts last time out against Lindenwood.

#22 • Alex North • Seven of 10 from the field in the last game against Lindenwood hitting 3 of 5 3-pointers scoring 18 points with eight rebounds and three assists.

#24 • Stephon Drane • Five of six from the field scoring 10 points with four rebounds last time out against Lindenwood coming off the bench for the first time this season.

#31 • Leon Flowers • Made first start of the season against Lindenwood scoring eight points with a season-high nine field goals hitting two 3-point field goals with a season-high-tying four assists.

#32 • Dalton Abel • scored first three points of the season hitting a 3-pointer against Missouri Southern.

#34 • Jeremy Lickteig • scored four points on 2 of 5 shooting against Lindenwood adding a season-high four rebounds in 10 minutes.

#42 • Colton Anderson • has at least one rebound in each of the last four games played.

 Last Time Out For The Ichabods

Washburn 82 • Lindenwood 64 • Dec. 22, 2013

TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Washburn Ichabods wrapped up the fall semester with an 82-64 win over Lindenwood improving to 10-1 on the season and 3-1 in the MIAA and head coach Bob Chipman picked up win No. 750 in the victory. 

Washburn was down 4-0 and 4-3 with 17:29 to play in the first half before the Ichabods would go on an 18-3 run over a 4:03 period jumping out to an 18-6 lead with 13:26 to play capped by a 3-pointer by Chris Davis. Later in the half, the Ichabods used another run of 13-2 in a 3:07 span stretching the lead to 18 at 36-18 with 7:01 to play. Washburn held the Lions to only nine field goals in the first half as Lindenwood (6-8, 1-3 MIAA) was 9 of 26 from the field while the Ichabods were 16 of 36 overall and 6 of 11 from 3-point range as Washburn took a 45-26 lead into the halftime break.

In the second half, Washburn would go on to lead by as many as 28 at 77-49 with 5:49 to play before the Lions finished the game on a 15-5 run cutting the final margin back to 18.

Washburn put four in double figures led by Alex North's 18 points on 7 of 10 shooting adding eight rebounds and three assists. Kyle Wiggins scored 12 points with five assists and Chris Deans added 10 with five assists and Stephon Drane scored 10 off the bench on 5 of 6 shooting. Lindenwood was led by Darris Smith who had a game-high 19 points.

Washburn used a 40 to 25 advantage on the glass including 14 offensive rebounds leading to 17 second chance points. Washburn outscored the Lions 34 to 18 in the paint and had 23 assists on 31 baskets.

 Lindenwood Leftovers

• Washburn improved to 2-0 all-time against Lindenwood.

• Chris Davis tied a career-high with eight points and his five rebounds were a career high.

• Chris Deanes had a career-high five assists.

• Stephon Drane tied a career-high with two assists.

• The nine field goal attempts by Leon Flowers was a career high and his four assists tied a career high.

• Jeremy Lickteig recorded a career-high four rebounds.

• The seven 3-point field goal attempts by Kyle Wiggins tied a career high.

 
 About Missouri Western

• Missouri Western State currently owns a 6-5 overall record with a 1-2 mark in the MIAA. 

• The Griffons have lost two straight after a Dec. 19 and Dec. 21 roadtrip to Oklahoma.

• Ryan Devers leads the team with a 14.8 ppg scoring average and Cortez Colbert is scoring 13.8 ppg. Adarius Fulton is averaging double figures as well at 10.9 ppg.

• The Griffons are being outrebounded 38.9 to 32.6 in games this season.

• The Griffons have started the same five in all 11 games this year.

 Series History With Missouri Western

• Saturday's meeting will be the 84th meeting between the two schools with Washburn leading the series 48-35. 

• The Ichabods are 24-20 against MWSU in MIAA games and 20-10 in Lee Arena and 28-12 in games played in Topeka.

• The Ichabods have won the last two games played in St. Joseph and they are 19-22 in games played in St. Joseph against the Griffons.

• In the MIAA Tournament the Ichabods are 3-4 against the Griffons. Since joining the MIAA, the Ichabods are 8-17 in MIAA games played in St. Joseph.

• The Ichabods lead 5-4 in overtime games including the 56-52 win last season in St. Joseph.

Last Time Out for Missouri Western

Dec, 21, 2013 -- EDMOND, Okla. - Despite Adarius Fulton tying a career high with 23 points the Missouri Western men struggled slowing down the Central Oklahoma Bronchos falling 92-75. The Griffons have lost two straight falling to 6-5 overall and 1-2 in MIAA play.

The Griffons struggled early against Central Oklahoma getting down 16-5 before they went on a 9-0 run cutting the UCO lead to 16-14 after a layup by Cortrez Colbert with 11:52 to play in the half. Unfortunately that would be the closes the Griffons would get. They got outscored 33-16 the rest of the half to go into the locker room down 49-30.

The Griffons got outscored 24-10 in the paint and 11-2 in second chance points in the first half. The Bronchos also had seven points off five first half turnovers by MWSU. Fulton and Ryan Devers led the Griffons with nine points while Charlie Marquardt and Devers each had three rebounds. The Griffons made just 10-of-30 shots but did make 4-of-9 three pointers.

The Bronchos were led by Josh Gibbs and Philip Brown with 11 and 10 points respectively while Gibbs also had eight rebounds. The Bronchos outrebounded the Griffons 25 to 13 in the first half.

Midway through to the second half UCO built its lead to as many as 22. The Griffons showed some grit going on a 12-1 run cutting the Broncho lead to 72-61 with 7:57 to play after a Fulton three. The Griffons would run out of gas down the stretch falling to 0-3 in road games this season.

UCO improved to 8-3 on the season and 2-2 in MIAA play. They had four players score in double figures with Brown leading the way with 25 points. Brown and Gibbs both had double doubles with Brown collecting 10 rebounds and Gibbs scoring 17 points and snaring 14 rebounds.

The Griffons shot just 35.8-percent (24-67) from the field but did make 16-of-19 free throws. Devers and Dzenan Mrkaljevic finished with 15 and 10 points respectively while Cortrez Colbert and Devers dished out five and four assists respectively.

The Bronchos dominated the points in the paint scoring 46 to the Griffons 22 and had 18 second chance points to MWSU's six.

 Last Meeting With Missouri Western

Feb. 13, 2013-- ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- The No. 25-ranked Washburn Ichabods grinded out a gutty 56-52 overtime win over Missouri Western improving to 16-5 and 9-4 in the MIAA. 

After trailing by 11 at the break at 27-16, the Ichabods started the second half on a 15-2 run over the first 6:37 of the period to take a 31-29 lead on a lay up by Bobby Chipman. Neither team would lead by more than three until the Griffons (9-13, 5-9 MIAA) pushed out to a 5-point at 41-36 with 8:14 to play, but back-to-back 3-pointers by Martin Mitchell and Jared Henry put the Ichabods up 42-41 with 6:29 left in the game.

The Griffons went up one and then the Ichabods Zack Riggins and Will McNeill had jumpers putting Washburn back up three with 2:35 to play. It would be the last points of regulation for the Ichabods as the Griffons hit a field goal with 2:08 to play and a free throw with three seconds left sending the game to overtime.

In the extra frame, Washburn jumped out to a 50-46 lead after a jumper by Chipman and then a pair of free throws by Kyle Wiggins. The Griffons cut the lead to two and then a pair of Chipman free throws put Washburn back up four at 52-48 with 2:49 to play in the game.

The Griffons went to the line with 2:21 to play, but only hit one free throw and then McNeill hit a jumper from the baseline to put the Ichabods up five with 1:48 to play. The Griffons went back to the line with 52 seconds to play and hit two cutting the Washburn advantage to two at 54-52. Washburn came up empty on its next possession and the Griffons 3-point attempt from the corner hit the side of the backboard and the Ichabods rebounded it and McNeill scored his 18th and 19th points of the game with three seconds left to seal the win.

The Ichabods were led by McNeill who finished with a game-high 19 points adding 11 rebounds for his eighth double double of his career while playing 42 of 45 minutes. Chipman had 10 points and six rebounds and Mitchell had 10 points.

After shooting just 7 of 26 from the field in the first half, the Ichabods finished at 37 percent for the game going 12 of 27 in the second half and 3 of 6 in the overtime period. The Griffons were 11 of 26 in the first half and then fell to 8 of 26 in the second half and finished the game just 1 of 5 in the extra frame.

The Griffons outrebounded the Ichabods 43 to 34. The teams also combined for only 24 free throw attempts in the game as Washburn finished 7 of 10 from the line while the Griffons were 8 of 14.

 Ichabods in the national rankings

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Ichabods fell out of the rankings after the loss to Missouri Southern but did receive votes in the NABC top 25 coaches poll which was released this week in the Dec. 31 poll. 

 Ichabod Basketball History

• The Ichabods are 1460-975-4 (.591) all-time in the 109th year in the program's history.

• Washburn is the eighth-winningest program in NCAA Division II history by victories.

• Washburn is the winningest MIAA program since the 1989-90 season with an overall record of 509-224.

 Home sweet home

• The Ichabods are 384-68 (.848) all-time in Lee Arena.

• The 2013-14 season marks the 29th 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 have a quick turnaround as they will face Central Missouri on the road on Jan. 6 before opening a four-game homestand starting on Jan. 11 with Northwest Missouri.