Opening Tip
•     The Washburn Ichabod basketball team will open its 110th season of basketball at the Sanford Pentagon Showcase on Friday, Nov. 14 when they will face Augustana, who received votes in the NABC Preseason Coaches Poll.
•    The following day the Ichabods will take on the No. 7-ranked Minnesota State Mavericks.
•    The Ichabods, who also received votes in the initial NABC Preseason poll, finished off a three-game Big 12 exhibition slate where they face No. 7 Kansas, No. 19 Oklahoma and Kansas State, who received votes in both the Associated Press and USA Today Top 25 polls.
•    The Ichabods are 31-4 in season openers under head coach Bob Chipman.
•    The last time the Ichabods opened the season with a loss was on Nov. 11, 2011 to Arkansas Monticello in an 80-72 loss at the South Central Regional Shootout in Bartlesville, Okla.
•    The Ichabods as a program are 76-32-1 all-time in season openers.
    
 Bod Notes
•    Alex North recorded his 10th double double of the season and the 12th of his career with 20 points and 10 rebounds against Northeastern State in the Ichabods' final game of the 2013-14 season securing his spot in Ichabod history as the first Washburn basketball player to average a double double during the season since Clarence Tyson did during the 1993-94 season after averaging 16.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game.
•    Alex North went over the 750-point mark in career points against Northeastern State in the first round of the MIAA Tournament last season. He has scored 752 points in 88 games averaging 8.5 a game for his career. He went over the 500-rebound total against the RiverHawks in the same game last season.
•    Kyle Wiggins needs only seven points to reach 800 for his career at Washburn. He has 793 points for his Washburn career averaging 9.2 ppg in 86 games including 15.0 ppg  average as a junior last year.
•    Ichabod junior Christian Ulsaker returns this season after suffering a broken bone in his shooting hand in practice four games into the 2013-14 campaign. He was averaging career-bests of 13.0 ppg and 3.8 rpg.
•    The Ichabods have hit at least one 3-pointer in 309 games beginning the regular season opener against Augustana. The last game the Ichabods did not hit a 3-pointer was Dec. 30, 2003 at Missouri Western.

 Ichabods on Radio
Washburn games will be broadcast on AM580 WIBW radio with Jake Lebahn and Pat Strathman 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 36th season at the helm of the Ichabods.
•     a 1973 graduate of Kansas State earning both his undergraduate and master's degree in Manhattan.
•     is 757-314 overall.
•     has 516 wins since the Ichabods joined the MIAA, the most of any conference school since the 1989-90 season.
•    is the MIAA's all-time winningest coach by victories with 516.
•     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 440-82 going 389-71 in Lee Arena.
•     is second in all-time coaching victories in active NCAA Division II coaches.
•     his 757 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.

Augustana head coach Tom Billeter
•     is in his 12th season as the Vikings head coach.
•    he has compiled a 182-138 record and he is in his 17th coaching overall recording a 279-188 overall record.
•    he is a 1983 graduate of Illinois.

Minnesota State head coach Matt Margenthaler
•     is 284-115 in his 14th season as the Mavericks head coach.
•    he is a 1991 graduate of Western Illinois.

 Ichabod Season Preview
Outlook
The Ichabods return three starters off of last season's team which went 17-10 and 9-9 in the MIAA finishing in a tie for sixth in the conference standings. Leading the returners is senior forward Alex North who averaged a double double with 16.1 points and 10.0 rebounds per game while leading the Ichabods with 50 3-pointers en route to second team all-MIAA honors. Senior guard Kyle Wiggins was an honorable mention all-MIAA pick after averaging 15 points and four assists per game. Also returning is senior guard Korey Fisher, who started 15 games and averaged 7.0 points a game and senior forward Stephon Drane who started 10 games and averaged 6.0 points per contest.
Coming back from a wrist injury after only playing four games is redshirt junior Christian Ulsaker who was averaging 13.0 points and 3.8 rebounds a game before breaking a bone in his wrist. 
The Ichabods will have several transfers who will be in the mix including Algie Key, a senior transfer from Alabama who played in 32 games for the Crimson Tide after averaging 17.6 points and 6.2 rebounds a game earning All-American honors at Barton County as a sophomore. A pair of transfers from Fort Scott Community College in Prince Samuels and Kevin House will also see time in the lineup this season. Samuels averaged 15.8 points and 6.3 rebounds a game as a sophomore and House averaged 17 points and 7.7 assists per game as a sophomore. Both players were all-Jayhawk selections. Turon Parker averaged 1.8 points and 3.5 assists per game as a sophomore at Barton County and was a squad member along with Key at Barton.
The Washburn men's basketball team was picked third in the MIAA preseason coaches poll receiving a first-place vote as released by the MIAA. Washburn opens the season with an exhibition game at the University of Kansas on Nov. 3 in Lawrence.
The Ichabods received 137 points and the one first-place vote and trailed only defending national champion Central Missouri who had 10 first-place votes and 151 points and Fort Hays State who had two first-pace votes and 145 total points. Northwest Missouri followed the Ichabods with a first-place vote and 129 points. Missouri Southern (120 points), Central Oklahoma (110) and Nebraska-Kearney (103) were fifth, sixth and seventh. Emporia State was eighth with 82 points followed by Lindenwood with 79 points, Pittsburg State with 73, Missouri Western with 53 and Northeastern State with 39 points was 12th. Southwest Baptist with 29 points and Lincoln with 15 points rounded out the poll.
Guards
The Washburn Ichabod backcourt returns an honorable mention all-MIAA selection in senior Kyle Wiggins who was second on the team last season with 15.0 points a game while averaging a team-high 4.0 assists per game. Also returning are senior Korey Fisher and sophomore Andy Wilson. Fisher started 15 games appearing in all 27 while averaging 7.0 points and 2.3 rebounds with 2.7 assists per game as a junior scoring a season-high 20 points against Northeastern State. Wilson appeared in 26 games as a freshman hitting 14 3-pointers during the season.
Newcomers include four transfers who will look to make an immediate impact this season. The lone senior transfer is Algie Key, a transfer from Alabama who averaged 17.6 points and 6.2 rebounds a game as a sophomore at Barton County. He scored 3.7 points a game for the Crimson Tide scoring a season-high 20 points against Oklahoma in the season debut. He was a junior college teammate of Turon Parker, who averaged 11.8 points a game as a sophomore at Barton County. Junior Prince Samuels averaged 15.8 points per game as a sophomore at Fort Scott Community College and scored 685 points in two seasons for the Greyhounds finishing his career sixth on their all-time scoring chart while averaging 6.3 rebounds a game. His 321 career rebounds places him fourth on that chart. He was a teammate of fellow Ichabod Kevin House at Fort Scott, where he averaged 17.0 points and 7.7 assists per game en route to first team all-Jayhawk Conference honors as he finished his career as the Greyhounds all-time leader in assists. Freshman Cameron Wiggins was an all-state selection at Leavenworth High School after hitting 40 percent of his 3-point attempts as a senior and led the team in points, assists, free throw percentage and steals. Tom Huppe redshirted the 2013-14 season with the Ichabods and will compete for time this season.
Forwards
The Ichabods will be experienced in the front court in the 2014-15 season with two seniors, a junior and two sophomores led by second team all-MIAA selection Alex North who became the first Ichabod in nearly 20 years to average a double double after averaging 16.0 points and 10.0 rebounds a game as junior. He also led the Ichabods with 50 3-pointers during the season and scored a career-high 31 points against Nebraska-Kearney. North enters the season having started 55 of 88 games and needs 248 points to reach 1,000 for his career. Also back is senior Stephon Drane who averaged 6.0 points and 2.5 rebounds a game after transferring from Western Kentucky. Fully-healed from a wrist injury is Christian Ulsaker, who was averaging 13.0 points and 3.8 rebounds in four games scoring 15 points in two games before missing the rest of the season with the injury. Sophomore Jeremy Lickteig appeared in 23 games and scored 2.3 points with 1.1 rebounds a game and fellow sophomore Colton Anderson averaged 1.2 points a game appearing in nine games.

 Last Time Out For The Ichabods
Kansas State 68 • Washburn 56 • Nov. 9, 2014
MANHATTAN, Kan. -- The Washburn Ichabods spotted Kansas State a quick 9-0 lead to start the game and battled the rest of the way in its third and final Big 12 exhibition game of the season in a 68-56 loss to the Wildcats. 
After the Wildcats jumped out to the 9-0 lead hitting their first three 3-pointers of the afternoon. Washburn trailed 12-1 with 15:35 remaining in the opening half before going on a 10-2 run capped by a 3-pointer by Alex North with 10:45 left.
The Wildcats pushed the lead back to 13 at 26-13 to play before Washburn trimmed it back to nine before Kansas State took a 32-22 lead into the halftime break.
Washburn scored the first four points of the second half cutting the Wildcat lead down to six twice and then after a jumper by Turon Parker, the Ichabods trailed by five at 37-32 with 14:08 to play before an 11-2 run by the Wildcats stretched the lead to 14 with 10:48 to play in the game. Washburn pulled back the lead back to nine 58-49 with under three minutes to play on a 3-pointer by Kevin House.
The Wildcats pushed their lead out to 17 before a 3-pointer by Colton Anderson and a lay up by Cameron Wiggins as the Wildcats won 68-56.
North led a balanced Ichabod attack with nine points. Prince Samuels had eight points and Stephon Drane and Parker each had seven. 
Marcus Foster had 17 points and six rebounds to lead the Wildcats.
Washburn shot 38 percent in the game and improved from 6 of 23 in the first half shooting to 14 of 30 in the second half matching Kansas State's second half shooting as the Wildcats outscored the Ichabods 36 to 34 in the second half.
Kansas State held a 35 to 34 rebound advantage using 17 offensive rebounds for 13 second chance points and turned 19 Ichabod turnovers into 28 points.

 About Augustana
•     The Vikings are starting their 93rd season of men's basketball and they are coming off a  16-14 season last year.
•    Augustana is 46-44 all-time in season openers and have won four of its five last season openers.
•    Augustana and the Ichabods have never met.
•     Casey Schilling led the team and ranked third in the NSIC averaging 18.0 points per game last season
•     Schilling also ranked third averaging 8.4 rebounds per game
•     Schilling ranked fifth in the league in steals (1.8 per game) and seventh in blocked shots (1.2 per game).
•    The game is a netural site game even though Augustana is located in Sioux Falls, S.D. and the Vikings have gone 0-3 in games played at the Sanford Pentagon.

 Last time out for Augustana
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Augustana College men's basketball overcame an 11-point second-half deficit to defeat the University of Wisconsin-River Falls 81-69 in overtime on Saturday night at the Elmen Center. Daniel Jansen registered a double-double to lead the Vikings with 15 points and 12 rebounds to go along with four assists and two steals.
Ethan Guske, Casey Schilling and Alex Richter joined Jansen in double-figures. Guske finished with 14 points on 5 of 9 shooting, including 4 of 8 from 3-point range. Schilling finished with 14 points, eight rebounds five assists, two steals and a block while Richter finished 4 of 8 from the field, picking up 10 points.
River Falls, who was led in scoring by Jon Christensen, who scored 17 points to go along with 10 rebounds, led by as much as six points in the first half but were never able pull away as the two teams went into the locker room tied at 30 at the half.
The Falcons started the second half on a 9-1 run to take an eight-point lead at 39-31 and with 12:49 remaining in the game held an 11-point 48-37 lead after a 3-pointer by Garret Pearson. Augustana chipped away slowly at the lead but were never able to take it over.
Schilling connected on a 3-point-play scoring on a fastbreak layup and hitting his free throw to tie the game at 65 with 1:32 to play. Both teams missed a 3-pointer on their next possessions and the Falcons missed a runner with 12 seconds to play. Augustana called a timeout with nine seconds left in the game but was not able to get a good look and the game went into overtime.
It was all Augustana in the overtime period as the Vikings out-scored the Falcons 16-4 in the extra frame to pick up an 81-69 victory in their lone exhibition contest of the season.

 About Minnesota State
•    The Mavericks are ranked No. 7 in the NABC Preseason Coaches Poll coming off a 30-5 season in 2013-14.
•    The Mavericks return seven players who saw action a season ago including seniors Assem Marei, Zach Monaghan and Zach Romashko. The Mavericks also return a pair of juniors in Lucas Brown and TJ Okafor, along with a pair of sophomores in Mike Busack and Grant Pope.
•    Last season, senior Assem Marei led the Mavericks in points (16.3 ppg), rebounds (8.2 rpg) and blocks (53). Senior Zach Monaghan also returns for the Mavericks after averaging 15.4 points and eight assists a game last season.
•    As a team, MSU averaged 84.9 points last season, as it shot 50.5 percent from the field, including a 39.8 percent showing from behind the arc. The Mavericks also averaged 40.6 rebounds per game, to go along with 600 assists and 154 blocks.
•    The Ichabods and the Mavericks have not played since the 1949-50 season when the Mavericks won 53-44.

 Last time out for Minnesota State
MANKATO, Minn. --- The Minnesota State men's basketball team dropped its exhibition contest against St. Thomas 74-52 at Taylor Center.
Senior forward Assem Marei led the Mavericks with 20 points and five rebounds, while senior guard Zach Monaghan dropped in 15 points, to go along with seven assists.
Marcus Alipate paced the Tommie offense with 17 points, while Taylor Montero tallied 16 points and seven rebounds.
The Tommies opened up their first double-digit lead at 20-8 with 12:25 to go in the first half. The Mavericks managed to cut the lead to as little as seven at 31-24 with 4:49 left in the opening half, but St. Thomas was able to carry a 38-26 lead into halftime.
St. Thomas would maintain it double-digit lead throughout the entire second half as it secured the 74-52 win.

 Ichabod basketball history
•     The Ichabods are 1467-984-4 (.591) all-time in the 110th year in the program's history.
•    Since joining the NCAA the Ichabods are
•     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 516-231.
•    The Ichabods have recorded 25 20-win seasons and they have one 30-win seasons after going 35-4 during the 1986-87 NAIA Championship season.
•    Washburn has won 21 conference championships including 10 MIAA titles.
•    Washburn has received 12 NCAA Tournament bids going to three Elite Eight's appearing in the 2001 NCAA National Championship game.

 Home sweet home
•     The Ichabods are 389-71 (.848) all-time in Lee Arena.
•     The 2014-15 season marks the 30th 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
•    The Ichabods will return home on Monday, Nov. 17 to face Southwestern College at 7 p.m. and then take on Peru State the following night at 7:30 p.m. After back to back games the Ichabods will travel to Wichita, Kan., to face Newman at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 20.