TIPPING OFF
• Washburn women's basketball (13-5, 5-4 MIAA) returns to Lee Arena as it hosts Southwest Baptist on Wednesday at 5:30 pm.
• The Ichabods are 13-5 and 5-4 in the MIAA, tied for seventh-place in the conference standings with Fort Hays State.
• The Ichabods have hit a rough patch with a 1-4 mark in their last five games.
• Reagan Phelan leads the team in scoring with 14.6 points/game with 3.9 rebounds while shooting 40.6 percent (82-202) from the field.
• On Jan. 14, Reagan Phelan become the third player in program-history to score 32 points in a single-game and first player with at least 30 in over six seasons.
• Alexis McAfee is the team leader from the charity stripe making 38 of 44 attempts (.864).
• Axelle Bernard is the team's block and rebound leader, averaging 2.1 blocks a game and 8.4 boards.
• Wednesday's game will be a doubleheader with the men's team and will be "90's Night".
FOLLOW THE BODS
Jake Lebahn (play-by-play) and Dan Lucero (analyst) will call the action and can be heard on the MIAA Network and Country 106.9 FM. Links for stats, video and radio can be found at wusports.com/live or the women's basketball schedule page.
A WASHBURN WIN...
• is better than a lose.
• improves its record to 14-5 overall, 6-4 in the MIAA.
• gives head coach Ron McHenry career win No. 419, making him 12 shy of tying Patty Dick for the program-record in career wins (431).
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE LATELY?
• The Ichabods are holding MIAA opponents to around 64 points per contest (63.9) and .327 shooting from three-point range.
• After opening the season with .678 shooting from the line through the first seven games, Washburn has raised its free throw percentage to .786 in nine MIAA games making 114 of 145 attempts.
• Phelan is WU's leading scorer in MIAA play, averaging 17.1 points/game, while shooting .426 on FGs, .469 on 3FG, and .891 on FTs with 3.6 assists per game.
• In the last five games, Phelan has made 26 of 29 (.897) from the line and is averaging 2.6 steals/game.
• Alexis McAfee has made 21 of 24 free throws (.875) against MIAA opponents and is 13 for 16 (.813) in the last five games.
• McAfee is averaging 12.2 pts and 2.2 assists/game.
• Axelle Bernard is averaging a team-best 8.0 rebounds in the last five games alongside 7.8 ppg, and 2.4 blocks.
• In its five MIAA games since the holiday break, Washburn is outscoring opponents in the paint (140-120) and second-chance points (48-35).
JUST FIVE MINUTES
• In the last five minutes of MIAA games this season, WU is shooting .408 (20-49) on FGs, .320 (8-25) on 3FG, and .809 (38-47) on FTs.
• The Ichabods have narrowly outscored MIAA opponents, 86-77, and averages 9.6/game.
• Alexis McAfee is 16 for 17 (.941) from the line against MIAA foes and 19 of 20 (.950) for the season.
GETTING DEFENSIVE
• WU is ranked fourth in the MIAA in scoring defense (60.0 ppg) and 51st among NCAA Division II leaders.
• The Ichabods are also ranked third in the MIAA in FG% defense (.366), and seventh in 3FG% defense (.299).
• WU's 8.3 steals/game is the league's sixth-best mark.
• Washburn is listed fifth in the MIAA in forced turnovers (17.2).
• Bernard is listed among the nation's top 50 in total blocks (40th, 33) and blocks/game (41st, 1.9). Those numbers listed her second-overall in the MIAA for both categories.
• Bernard is ranked second among MIAA leaders in blocks (38) and blocks per game (2.1) ... listed 28th in blocks and 33rd in blocks per game among NCAA Division II leaders.
• Bernard's 6.4 defensive rebounds a game is fourth-best among MIAA leaders ... averaging 6.1 defensive boards against MIAA opponenets.
• Three Ichabods are among the MIAA's top 20 in steals per game -- Phelan (3rd/2.2), McAfee (17th/1.5) and Denesia Smith (20th/1.3).
THE STARTING FIVE
• The Ichabods have rolled out four different starting lineups this season with the Bernard, Phelan, McAfee and Taylor Blue being the constants in each variation.
• The collective group average just over 50 points a game (50.7) for the season and 48.9 against MIAA opponents.
• Starters this season are shooting .424 on FGs, .330 on 3FG, .771 on FTs while holding opponents to .373 on FGs and .294 on 3FG.
• The group also averages 25.1 rebounds and 5.2 steals a game.
• McAfee, Phelan and Bernard are each listed among the program's top 20 in minutes per game ... McAfee is seventh, Phelan is eighth and Bernard 17th.
PLAYER NOTES
• Phelan is 106 points shy of tying Emily Shopper (1995-97) for 40th on the Washburn all-time points list with 693 ... with 61 3FGM, Phelan is five shy of 25th on career list, tying Amanda Fessenden (2009-10) and Haley Pfau (2012-16).
• Bernard's 38 blocks this season has the Awans, Belgium native listed 26th on WU's all-time list ... has two double-doubles this season.
• McAfee has scored double-figure points on nine occasions this season including the last games ... is averaging 14.6 points a game during the last three outings.
• Mackenize Loe is third on the team in scoring (9.9/game) ... averages 17.1 minutes off the bench.
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
• This is the 34th season that Washburn men's and women's basketball have called Lee Arena home, with women's basketball owning a 409-92 mark (.818) in the venue.
• The 500th women's game at Lee Arena was played last Thursday (1/11/18) vs Northeastern State.
• Under head coach Ron McHenry, Washburn is 215-45 all-time when playing at Lee Arena dating back to the 2000-01 campaign.
• Washburn is 8-3 this season playing at Lee Arena.
• WU ranked sixth in Div. II in attendance last season as it averaged 1,468 fans through 18 games. The Ichabods have been among nation's top drawing teams finishing in the top 10 since the 2000-01 campaign.
ABOUT SOUTHWEST BAPTIST
• The Bearcats are 12-6 this season, 4-5 in the MIAA and tied for eighth in the conference standings with Northeastern State.
• The Bearcats are 5-2 since returning from the winter break including their current four-game win streak.
• SBU has the second-highest scoring offense (77.2/game) in the MIAA and the league's fourth-highest scoring defense (69.7/game).
• The Bearcats top the MIAA in FG% at 84.1 percent (361-429), but are in the bottom half of the league in FG% (9th/.418) and 3FG% (12th/.306).
• Megan Rosenbohm is the league leader scoring with 19.6 points/game ... shooting .444 on FGs and .908 on FTs ... 3.8 assists/game ... MIAA leader in steals/game (2.7).
• Caylee Richardson is seventh among MIAA scorers (16.2/game) ... shooting .580 on FGs and .873 from the line ... sixth in the MIAA in rebounding (8.8/game).
• Led by fourth-year head coach Kelsey Keizer.
• The Bearcats went 16-14 last season and 7-12 in the MIAA.
A LIL' BIT OF HISTORY
• Wednesday will be the 55th meeting all-time between Washburn and Southwest Baptist.
• The Ichabods lead the all-time series, 39-15.
• Since joining the MIAA, Washburn is 22-6 when facing SBU in Topeka.
• In Bolivar, Washburn is 14-9 all-time.
• SBU won the 2016-17 season series with a pair of late season victories at Lee Arena, including a 68-56 decision in the first round of the MIAA Tournament.
WASHBURN TRADITION
The 2017-18 campaign marks the 49th season of Washburn women's basketball. The program is 881-392-1 all-time, has seen 23 seasons with at least 20 wins, and 17 appearances NCAA Division II Tournament appearances with the 2004-05 team crowned as national champions. From Jan. 26, 2005 to Mar. 11, 2006, Washburn won 51 consecutive games. The streak is the longest in NCAA Division II and sixth all-time in NCAA history.
MIAA PRESEASON POLL
Washburn was projected to finish eighth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll. Central Missouri topped the listed with seven first-place votes. Last season's regular-season champion Pittsburg State garnered four first-place nods as it was placed second. Tournament champion Emporia State was picked third as it received two first-place votes. Central Oklahoma took fourth with one first-place vote, while Fort Hays State rounded out the top five. Missouri Western and Lindenwood were each predicted higher than the Ichabods, taking sixth and seventh respectively. Southwest Baptist and Nebraska-Kearney trailed accordingly with Missouri Southern at No. 11. Northwest Missouri landed at No. 12 with Northeastern State and Lincoln taking the final two spots.
UPCOMING ON THE SCHEDULE
• Home vs. No. 12/10 Central Missouri (Saturday, Jan. 27, 1 pm) -- Pink Night
• Away at Nebraska-Kearney (Thursday, Feb. 1, 5:30 pm)
• Away at Fort Hays State (Saturday, Feb. 3, 2 pm)
