TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn Ichabods used a balanced attack shooting a season-high 62 percent from the field in an 82-64 win over Pittsburg State on Saturday night at Schendel Court at Lee Arena.
 
Washburn (13-5, 5-4 MIAA) opened the game with a 10-2 run over the first 4:50 of the game hitting 4 of 6 shots and 2 of 4 from 3-point range while the Gorillas were 1 of 5 prior to the first time out propelling the Ichabods to the early lead.  However the Gorillas came back with five straight points and scoring seven of the next nine overall in the game to cut the Ichabod lead back to two before Brady Skeens layup ignited a 20-5 run pushing Washburn out to an 18-point lead at 32-14 with 4:24 to play.
 
Washburn shot 64 percent from the field in the first half connecting on 18 of 28 shots en route to a 43-25 lead at the break over the Gorillas (3-15, 1-9 MIAA). Pitt State was held to 33 percent shooting from the field hitting 8 of 24 shots in the opening frame.
 
In the second half, the Ichabods hit 13 of 22 shots from the field hitting 9 of their first 14 shots over the first 13 minutes of the stanza including hitting 4 of their 5 3-pointers during the span stretching the lead to as many as 28 in the second half leading to the 18-point win.
 
Skeens finished with a game-high 20 points on 8 of 8 shooting from the field hitting all four free throw attempts adding nine rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals in the win. His three blocks give him 64 on the season, which snaps his own Washburn single-season block record of 61 set last season as a sophomore. He was one of four Ichabods in double figures with Javion Blake scoring 16 on 5 of 6 shooting and Isaac Clark was 6 of 8 from the field including 3 of 5 from 3-point range scoring 15. Cameron Wiggins scored 11 nailing 3 of 6 3-point attempts.
 
Elijah Gaines led the Gorillas with 17 points.
 
Washburn finished the game hitting 31 of 50 shots from the field and 10 of 20 attempts from 3-point range while holding Pitt State to 42 percent shooting going 22 of 52 from the field and 8 of 17 from 3-point range. Washburn was 10 of 14 from the free throw line while Pitt State was 12 of 16. The Ichabods also held a 27 to 25 advantage on the glass with a season-low four offensive rebounds.
 
Washburn turned 15 Gorillas turnovers into 25 points and had 18 fast break points in the game scoring 34 in the paint overall.
 
Washburn returns to action on Thursday at Southwest Baptist on Jan. 26 in Bolivar, Mo., before facing Central Missouri on Jan. 28 in Warrensburg. The Ichabods return home to face Nebraska-Kearney on Feb. 2 before facing Fort Hays State on Feb. 4 in the NCAA Division II National Game of the Week which will be broadcast live on ESPN3 from Lee Arena.