TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn Ichabods won their fifth-straight game snapping an eight-game slide to Nebraska-Kearney with a 78-71 win over the Lopers improving 7-3 on the season and 2-0 in the MIAA. The Lopers fall to 5-7 and 2-2 in league play. Washburn will return to action on Saturday at Lindenwood.
The Lopers led early 6-2 and 12-9 before Washburn used a 20-4 run over the next 9:01 to take a 29-16 lead with 4:51 to play after a 3-point play by
Cameron Wiggins. However the Lopers scored the next seven points to trim the lead back to six at 29-23 with 2:37 to go.
Leading scorer
Isaac Clark scored the next five for the Ichabods to push the lead back to 11 before a jumper by Trey Lansman cut the lead back to nine heading into the break with Washburn holding a 34-25 lead.
To start the second half, Washburn scored the first four points of the frame going up 13, but the Lopers cut it back to seven before
Tyas Martin connected on a lay up and Clark scored on a jumper to go back up 11 with 16:53 to play.
Over the next 5:19 of the game, the Lopers hit 4 of 6 shots from the field while the Ichabods went cold as UNK trimmed the lead back to three at 56-53 with 7:46 to go in the game and would not get closer than four the rest of the way as the Ichabods stretched the lead back to 12 as they hit 8 of 10 free throws in the final 2:29 of the game for the win.
Clark led the Ichabods with a career high 25 points on 9 of 13 shooting and Martin finished with 15 as the only two Washburn players in double figures.
Brady Skeens had a game high 14 rebounds with 12 coming on the defensive end while blocking three shots.
Yahsua Trent had 16 points to lead the Lopers and Lansman had 14 points with 13 rebounds.
Washburn shot 48 percent (22 of 58) from the field holding the Lopers to 38 percent (22 of 58). The Lopers had a 39 to 37 advantage on the glass. Washburn's bench scored 40 points compared to 10 for the Lopers and Washburn also had a 38 to 18 advantage in points in the paint.
The teams combined for 49 fouls and had 58 free throws (29 for each team) with the Lopers hitting 22 compared to 19 for the Ichabods.
