Opening Tip

• The Washburn Ichabods will look to sweep the regular season series as they travel to Emporia, Kan., to face the Emporia State Hornets in the second match up of the Turnpike Tussle.

• Washburn (16-8, 9-8 MIAA) snapped a three-game losing streak with a 79-70 win over Fort Hays State on Wednesday.

• Washburn won the first match up of the season on Feb. 5 in a 79-74 win over the Hornets in Topeka.

• Emporia State is 16-11 this season going 9-8 in the MIAA.

• The Ichabods and the Hornets are tied for sixth in the MIAA standings. The top four teams receive an automatic bye to Kansas City and teams who finish fifth through eighth will host a play in game on March 4.

 Bod Notes

• In the Ichabod eight losses this season, their opponents have attempted 238 free throws compared to 197 for Washburn.

• In the losses, Washburn has made 136 free throws compared to 174 for their opponents and the Ichabods have been whistled for 34 more fouls.

• Washburn has been outrebounded in six of the eight games and tied in the rebounding total with Fort Hays State.

• The Ichabods have made more field goals in six of the eight losses than their opponents, but have been outscored from the free throw line in the last six losses.

• The Ichabods have been outscored 367 to 298 in the second half of the seven losses this season and have been outrebounded by an average of 5.0 per game. 

• In the loss to Nebraska-Kearney it marked the fourth time the Ichabods had allowed at least 50 points in the second half. (63 at MSSU; 55 vs NWMSU; 59 at UNK; 51 vs UNK)

• The Ichabods have hit at least one 3-pointer in 306 games entering the match up with ESU. The last game the Ichabods did not hit a 3-pointer was Dec. 30, 2003 at Missouri Western.

• Alex North recorded his eighth double double of the season, his fifth-straight and the tenth of his career with 22 points and 13 rebounds against Emporia State in the first meeting.

• Alex North went over the 700-point mark in career points against Fort Hays State last time out. He has scored 701 points in 85 games averaging 8.2 a game including a 16.0 ppg average this season. He went over the 450-rebound total against Central Oklahoma and he is entering Saturday's game with ESU with 468 career boards.

• Jeff Reid went over the 700-point plateau against Northeastern State as he now has 724 in his third season at Washburn and has averaged 8.7 ppg in 83 career games. He is averaging 10.2 ppg this season.

• Kyle Wiggins went over the 700-point mark against the Lopers in the second meeting. He now has 728 for his Washburn career averaging 8.8 ppg in 83 games including 14.1 ppg this season.

• 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 KTPK 106.9 FM 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 756-312 overall.

• has 515 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 440-81 going 389-70 in Lee Arena.

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

• his 756 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.

Emporia State head coach Shaun Vandiver 

• is 37-43 in his third season at Emporia State. 

• was a first round draft pick by the Golden State Warriors in 1991 spent ten years as an assistant coach at the NCAA Division I level. 

• as a player he was a key component in Hutchinson CC's tournament run to the 1988 NJCAA National Championship before earning first-team All-Big 8 honors at Colorado.

• is 1-5 against Washburn.

 Ichabod Player Notes

#3 • Jeff Reid • Tied a career-high with three blocks against Fort Hays State.

#4 • Andy Wilson • Thirteen of hi 25 field goals this season have been from 3-point range.

#5 • Korey Fisher • Seventeen points last time out in 34 minutes against FHSU hitting 6 of 9 shots from the field.

#11 • Kyle Wiggins • Has had 13 games with at least five assists.

#13 • Chris Deanes • Ten of his 36 rebounds this season have been offensive.

#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 • Nineteen of his 36 field goals this season have been 3-pointers.

#22 • Alex North • Had a career-high three blocks against FHSU last time out and his nine field goals made tied a career-high.

#24 • Stephon Drane • Team-high 17 blocks this season.

#31 • Leon Flowers • Went 4 of 5 from 3-point range and 5 of 9 from the field scoring 14 in his regular season finale at home against FHSU.

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

#34 • Jeremy Lickteig • Has eight blocks this season.

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

 Last Time Out For The Ichabods

Washburn 79, Fort Hays State 70 • Feb. 19, 2014

TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Washburn Ichabods outshot Fort Hays State 64 percent to 57 percent in the second half and was perfect from the line in a 79-70 win over the Tigers snapping a three-game losing streak in the regular season home finale. 

A traditional 3-point play by Korey Fisher stretched a four-point Ichabod (16-8, 9-8 MIAA) lead into a 70-63 lead with 2:40 to play in the game. The Tigers came back with a pair of free throws with 2:27 left to trim the lead back to five. Then Alex North picked up one of Washburn's four offensive rebounds on the night and his tip in with 1:47 remaining gave the ichabods a seven-point cushion. The Tigers (20-5, 11-5 MIAA) came right back when Tomislaw Gabric hit a 3-pointer cutting the Ichabod lead back to four with 1:34 to play.

Jeff Reid hit two free throws stretching the lead back to six, but a Tiger bucket with 1:12 remaining cut the lead back to four. On Washburn's next possession, the lone senior Leon Flowers hit a 3-pointer with 42 seconds left putting Washburn up 79-70 and a lay up by Kyle Wiggins wrapped up the Ichabod scoring putting the final margin at nine in a 79-70 win.

Washburn led 36-31 at the break after hitting 14 of 28 shots while holding the Tigers to 10 of 33 shooting.

North led four Ichabods in double figures with 21 points adding eight rebounds and six assists with three blocks and two steals. Fifteen of his points came in the second half as he finished 9 of 10 from the field in the game. Fisher had 17 points on 6 of 9 shooting adding four assists and Reid finished with 16 points and eight rebounds with four assists and three blocks. Flowers finished with 14 points going 4 of 5 from 3-point range.

The Tigers were led by Craig Nicholson who had 16 points.

Washburn finished 30 of 53 from the field for a season-high 57 percent average while the Tigers were 26 of 61 for a 43 percent clip. Washburn was outrebounded 30 to 28. Washburn also finished a perfect 11 of 11 from the free throw line and the Tigers were 13 of 17 overall. 

 About Emporia State

• Emporia State is tied for sixth in the MIAA and have clinched a spot in the MIAA Tournament. 

• They are led by Kaleb Wright at 18.7 points per game. 

• Terrence Moore is averaging 16.3 points and leads the MIAA in steals with 66.

• Paul Bunch is averaging 10.2 points and leads the league in blocked shots with 76.

 Series History With Emporia State

• The meeting on Saturday will be the 205th meeting between these two schools and the Ichabods lead at 105-99. This is the most-played series for Washburn. 

• The Ichabods have won five of the last six meetings in the series overall. 

• The two teams started the series in 1905-06, Washburn's first recorded year of basketball, and they have met every year since the 1945-46 season. 

• This will be the 69th straight year they have played each other at least once. 

• The Ichabods are 22-8 against the Hornets in Lee Arena. 

• Washburn is 28-14 against ESU in MIAA games. 

• Washburn is 4-1 against ESU in MIAA Postseason tournament games.  

 Last Time Out for Emporia State

February 19, 2014-The Emporia State men shot 56.7% from the field on their way to a 92-83 win over Neb.-Kearney on Wednesday night at Slaymaker Court in White Auditorium.

The Hornets never trailed and used a 10-1 run to take a 11 point lead at 198- with 12:34 left in the first half. The lead would reach 12 before the Lopers closed to within 40-34 at the break.

Emporia State built the lead back to 11 in the first 32 seconds of the second half.  Neb.-Kearney used a 12-3 run to cut the lead to three at 60-57 with 10:23 remaining. Paul Bunch scored on a put back and Gavin Brown nailed a three-pointer to push the lead back to eight at 65-57 with 8:58 left.  The Lopers would stay close and were within five with 3:59 left when the Hornets went on a 12-2 run to go up 15 at 88-73 with 1:52 left.  Terrence Sardin capped the run with a fast break dunk from Kaleb Wright.

Terrence Moore led all scorers with 27 points while Wright added 20 points, six rebounds and six assists.  Bunch had ten rebounds and four blocks to go with eight points.

 Last Meeting With Emporia State

TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Washburn Ichabods led from start to finish snapping a two-game slide with a 79-74 win over Emporia State in the first edition of the Turnpike Tussle.

The Ichabods (15-5, 8-5 MIAA) led by 13 with 4:26 to play after a lay up by Jeff Reid, but then the Hornets (14-9, 7-6 MIAA) would counter with a 12-2 run over the next 3:10 to cut the Washburn lead to three with 1:16 to play. Washburn then stretched the margin back to seven after four Ichabod free throws before the lead was back to five at 76-71 with 18 seconds to play.

After a free throw by Alex North, Washburn led by six with 14 seconds left, but a 3-pointer by Kaleb Wright cut the lead back to three at 77-74 with nine seconds remaining. North was fouled and hit two free throws to wrap up the five-point win.

Washburn scored the first seven points of the game before the Hornets cut the lead back to one at 9-8 with 15:57 to play in the first half as the Ichabods would lead by as many as 12 in the first half before taking a 36-31 lead into halftime.

The Hornets used an 8-2 run to cut the lead back to one at 40-39 with 16:02 to play. Washburn again pulled out to a seven point lead before the Hornets came back to trim the margin to 46-45. The Ichabods would then score the next 13 points going 9 of 11 from the free throw line after a Hornet technical stretching the lead to 14.

North led the Ichabods with his fifth-straight double double and eighth of the season with 22 points and 13 rebounds. Kyle Wiggins had 20 points with six assists and five rebounds while Leon Flowers and Chris Davis each scored 10. 

Terrence Moore led the Hornets with a game-high 28 points and Kaleb Wright had 20.

Washburn dominated on the glass with a 45 to 24 rebounding advantage adding 18 offensive rebounds. Washburn finished 41 percent from the field going 24 of 59 overall while the Hornets finished at 48 percent hitting 29 of 60 overall with a 56 percent average in the second half going 15 of 27. Washburn was 25 of 33 in the game from the free throw line while the Hornets were 11 of 18.

 Ichabods in the national rankings

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Ichabods fell out of the rankings after the loss to Missouri Southern and received votes in the last two weeks worth of polls, but fell completely out after the loss to Northwest Missouri. The first regional rankings will come out on Feb. 19.

 Ichabod basketball history

• The Ichabods are 1466-982-4 (.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 515-231.

• 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 389-70 (.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 finish up the regular season at Pittsburg State on March 1.