TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Washburn Ichabod men's basketball team defeated Fort Hays State 66-57 in the first round of the MIAA Tournament and will now face top-seeded Northwest Missouri at noon on Thursday in the quarterfinals in Kansas City's Municipal Auditorium.

The Tigers led only once in the game at 2-0 scoring the first basket of the game but Alex North scored the first seven points for the Ichabods (16-15) as they would go on to lead by 10 in the first half over Fort Hays State, who finishes the season with a 16-13 record. After Washburn got out to the 10 point lead, the Tigers used an 8-0 run to cut the lead back to two at 24-22. Washburn stretched the lead back to seven with under five minutes to play, but finished the half on a 9-4 burst cutting the Ichabod lead to 33-31 at the break.

Washburn was 11 of 30 in the opening half hitting five 3-pointers while the Tigers were 11 of 25 from the field and hit 2 of 5 from deep.

In the second half the Tigers would go on to tie the score at 42 with 14:09 to play but Washburn used a 13-1 run over the next 6:31 of the game building a 12-point lead at 55-43 and the Tigers would not get closer than seven the rest of the way.

North led the Ichabods with 18 points and in rebounds with nine. Kyle Wiggins scored 13 while Kevin House dished out six assists.

Achoki Moikobu scored 22 points hitting 7 of 9 shots going 3 of 4 from 3-point range to lead the Tigers.

Washburn outrebounded the Tigers 32 to 29 and turned 14 Fort Hays State turnovers into 20 points. Washburn's bench also outscored the Tigers 21 to 8.