TOPEKA, Kan. -- A 17-4 run over midway through the second half propelled the Washburn Ichabod men's basketball team to an 85-78 win over Peru State on Tuesday night on Schendel Court inside Lee Arena. Washburn returns to action on Saturday against Saint Mary at 3 p.m. following a men's junior varsity game starting at 12:30 p.m. against Johnson County Community College.

After trailing for 17:33 of the first half as the Bobcats took a 44-38 lead into the halftime break after hitting 7 of 14 3-pointers and leading by as many as 11, Washburn outscored the Bobcats 24-12 over the first 9:27 of the second half to take a 62-56 lead. 

Washburn (3-1) would built its lead to seven at 70-63 before the Bobcats came back cutting the lead to two at 73-71 ith 2:28 to play on a jumper by Corday Sims, who scored a game-high 28 points. After a jumper by Tyas Martin and a lay up by Jeremy Lickteig the lead went back to six with 1:46 remaining.

Washburn would then hit 8 of 9 free throws in the final 57 seconds to pick up head coach Bob Chipman's 776th career win.

Javion Blake led the Ichabods with a season-high 18 points adding four rebounds and four assists hitting 8 of 9 free throws in the win. Lickteig recorded 17 points with a career-high eight rebounds. Brady Skeens had 14 points adding seven rebounds and Cameron Wiggins had nine points and a career-high seven assists.

Washburn finished 28 of 68 overall from the field for a 43 percent average while Peru State (3-5) was 28 of 63 for a 44 percent average. After hitting 7 of 14 from deep in the first half, the Bobcats were 0 of 9 in the second half. Washburn also outrebounded the Bobcats 45 to 40 recording 22 offensive rebounds leading to 19 second chance points and outscored Peru State 44 to 28 in the paint.