Opening Tip
•     Washburn will return to the road for the final two times in the regular season starting Wednesday at Missouri Western when the Ichabods and Griffons will be each looking to snap three-game losing streaks.
•     Washburn is 14-8 and 6-7 in the MIAA after Fort Hays State topped the Ichabods in Lee Arena on Saturday in a 70-54 over the Washburn.
•     The Griffons are 7-15 overall and 3-10 in MIAA play and have lost their last three games.
•     The Ichabods are in are ninth place in the MIAA standings trailing Northwest Missouri who leads the league at 13-0. Central Missouri and Central Oklahoma are tied for second at 9-4 while Nebraska-Kearney and Missouri Southern are tied for fourth at 8-5. Fort Hays State and Emporia State are tied or sixth at 7-6 and Lincoln is eighth at 7-7. The top four teams in the final standings receive an automatic bye to the MIAA Tournament in Kansas City while the teams who finish fifth through eighth will have a postseason first round game with the winners advance to Municipal Auditorium.
•     The Ichabods are fourth in the nation in blocks at 5.6 per game and fourth in total blocks at 124 and Brady Skeens is fourth in the nation with 3.18 blocks per game and fourth in total blocks with 70.
•     This season will be Bob Chipman's last season on the bench at Washburn … Chipman announced prior to the start of the season this year would be his last … Chipman has a career-record of 802-351 at Washburn and became only the 17th coach to reach that milestone in the win against Central Oklahoma … next on the coaching win list is Eddie Sutton with 806.
•   Wednesday's meeting will be the 89th between the two schools with Washburn leading the series 51-37.
•     In Washburn's 14 wins this season, the Ichabods are shooting 52 percent from the field and holding opponents to 38 percent … in the eight losses Washburn is shooting 45 percent while opponents are shooting 46 percent from the field.
•     In the eight losses opponents are averaging 10.6 made 3-pointers per game and Washburn is hitting 6.6 3-pointers per game.
•     In the eight losses, opponents have attempts 37 more free throws (206 to 169) and have made 51 more free throws (165 to 114).
•     Brady Skeens leads the Ichabods in scoring and is ranked 15th in the MIAA in scoring at 13.3 ppg and Cameron Wiggins is 23rd at 12.1 ppg.
•     Brady Skeens leads the league in rebounding at 10.7 rpg, field goal percentage at 66.0 percent (124 of 188) and blocks at 3.2 per game … he is also ranked tied for sixth in assists with 3.6 per game and 13th in minutes at 32.1 per game … Skeens is ranked fourth in the nation in field goal percentage, fourth in blocked shots and fourth in total blocks.
•     Randall Smith's 3.6 assists per game is tied or sixth in the MIAA and Javion Blake is ranked 12th at 3.0 per game.
•     Brady Skeens' 143 career blocks are the most in school after passing Ewan Auguste (100) on the all-time chart against Newman … he has broke his own school record of 61 set last season as a sophomore … this season he has 70 so far in 22 games.
 
Single Season Washburn Record Watch
Name                 Record                               Current Stats                         Record Name/Stats
Brady Skeens       FG Percentage                     .660 (124-188)                     Tom Meier (.670 - 276-412)
Brady Skeens        Blocks                                 70 total                                  Old record - Skeens (61)
Brady Skeens       Block Average                      3.2                                       Skeens (2.2)
 
Ichabods on Radio
Washburn games will be broadcast on KTPK 106.9 FM radio with Jake Lebahn and Dan Lucero calling the action. 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 38th and final season at the helm of the Ichabods.
•      a 1973 graduate of Kansas State earning both his undergraduate and master's degree in Manhattan.
•      is 802-351 overall.
•      has 563 wins since the Ichabods joined the MIAA, the most of any conference school since the 1989-90 season.
•     is the MIAA's all-time winningest coach by victories with 563.
•      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 468-96 going 417-85 in Lee Arena.
•      is third in all-time coaching victories in active NCAA Division II coaches.
•      his 802 coaching wins is 17th 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.
 
Missouri Western head coach Brett Weiberg
•     owns a 41-66 record at Missouri Western in his fourth year and has a career record of 180-171 in his ninth overall season.
•     brings 16 years of collegiate coaching experience to Missouri Western and has experience in coaching at a multitude of levels. He began his coaching career in 1998 as an assistant at Blinn Junior College in Brenham, Texas. Following stints at NAIA Wayland Baptist University and Division I Texas-San Antonio, he found a home at Northern Oklahoma College where he spent five years as an assistant before becoming the head coach in 2006.
 
Last Time Out For The Ichabods
Fort Hays state 70, Washburn 54 -- Feb. 4, 2017
TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Washburn Ichabods shot a season-low 29 percent from the field with 17 field goals en route to their lowest scoring output of the season of 54 points in a 70-54 loss to Fort Hays State.
Washburn shot 28 percent from the field in the first half connecting on 9 of 32 shots and only 1 of 5 from three point range as the Tigers took a 27-22 lead into the break. Washburn held the Tigers to 39 percent shooting in the first half and 4 of 9 from deep in the opening frame. Brady Skeens had nine rebounds in the first half as the Ichabods took a 25 to 17 advantage on the glass.
The Tigers led the entire second half. After a 3-pointer by Javion Blake pulling Washburn within one at 29-28 with 16:09 to play, the Tigers (13-8, 7-6 MIAA) ripped off a 10-0 run going 2 of 3 from behind the arc pushing out to a 39-28 lead with 13:45 to play.
Washburn (14-8, 6-7 MIAA) cut the lead to eight with 4:10 to play after a Skeens free throw, but the Tigers scored the next four points and 10 of the next 11 going up by 15 and the Ichabods would not get closer than 11 the rest of the way on a 3-pointer by Cameron Wiggins with 1:19 to play.
Cameron Wiggins and Isaac Clark led the Ichabods with 10 points each as Skeens, David Salach and Javion Blake each scored eight. Skeens had a game-high 11 rebounds adding three blocks and three assists.
Emir Sabic led the Tiger with a game-high 15 points off the bench hitting 5 of 6 3-point attempts.
The Ichabods finished 17 of 58 from the field and only 4 of 18 from 3-point range hitting 16 of 27 free throws. The Tigers shot 42 percent from the field going 23 of 55 overall and 8 of 18 from deep and 16 of 23 free throws.
The Tigers outrebounded the Ichabods 25 to 14 in the second half to win the battle of the glass 42 to 39 and outscored the Ichabod bench 33 to 10.

About Missouri Western
•     The Griffons are looking to snap a three-game losing streak entering the game with a 7-15 overall record and 3-10 in the MIAA.
•     Cole Clearman leads the team with 14.9 ppg average and is second in rebounds at 4.1 per game.
•     Aaron Emmanuel (11.9 ppg/4.5 rpg) and TJ Evans (11.8/ppg) is also averaging double figures.
•     The Griffons have attempted 125 fewer free throws than their opponents and are -5.2 in rebounds.
•     Missouri Western is 13th in the MIAA in scoring offense and sixth in scoring defense at 70.0 ppg.
 
Series History with Missouri Western
•   Tuesday's meeting will be the 89th between the two schools with Washburn leading the series 51-37.
•   The Ichabods are 27-21 against MWSU in MIAA games and 22-11 in Lee Arena and 29-13 in games played in Topeka overall.
•   The Ichabods are 20-23 in games played in St. Joseph against the Griffons.
•     Since joining the MIAA, the Ichabods are 9-18 in MIAA games played in St. Joseph.
•   In the MIAA Tournament the Ichabods are 3-5 against the Griffons.
•   The Ichabods lead 5-4 in overtime games including the 56-52 win two years ago in St. Joseph.
 
Last Meeting with Missouri Western
Missouri Western 70, Washburn 54 -- March 1, 2016
TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Washburn Ichabod season came to an end with a 70-54 loss on Tuesday night in Lee Arena in the first round of the MIAA Tournament.
The Ichabods trailed 28-17 at the break behind a cold first half shooting for the Ichabods as Washburn was 3 of 19 from the field going 0 of 6 from 3-point range while the Griffons were 32 percent connecting on 9 of 28 from the field. Washburn did hit 11 of 15 free throws in the first stanza.
In the second half the Griffons would go on to lead by as many as 21 as Missouri Western advances to face Missouri Southern in the MIAA Tournament quarterfinals.
Tyas Martin led the Ichabods with 13 points while Brady Skeens recorded his 10th double double of the season with 10 points and 18 rebounds which pushed him to average a double double for the season with 10.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game.
Washburn outrebounded the Griffons 39 to 36 in the game, however 17 turnovers turned into 25 points for the Griffons.
 
Last Time Out For Missouri Western
Lincoln 84, Missouri Western 64 -- Feb. 4, 2017
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri Western fell 84-64 to Lincoln while shooting 35 percent from the field.
NOTABLES
82 points is the most points scored against Missouri Western this season
MWSU was 25 percent (3-12) from the three-point arc in the first half
Lincoln shot 57.7 percent from the field, third highest against the Griffons this season
The Blue Tigers used a 23-4 run at 9:50 in the first half carrying a 20-point lead to halftime
TOP PERFORMERS
TJ Evans scored 21 points and grabbed five rebounds
Cole Clearman finished with 14 points and two assists
Lincoln's Jaylon Smith scored 25 points, the most by a Griffon opponent  this season
 
 Ichabod basketball history
•      The Ichabods are 1,534-1,057-2 (.592) all-time in the 112th year in the program's history.
•      Washburn is the fifth-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 563-266 since joining the conference and the NCAA.
•     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 417-85 (.848) all-time in Lee Arena.
•      The 2016-17 season marks the 32nd 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 hit the road one more time facing No. 1-ranked and undefeated Northwest Missouri on Feb. 11 before returning home to finish the regular season with four games against Emporia State on Feb. 14, Southwest Baptist on Feb. 18, Central Oklahoma on Feb. 23 and against Northeatsern State on Feb. 25 in what will be the final regular season home game for Ichabod head coach Bob Chipman.