TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn men's basketball team held off a second half surge by the Truman Bulldogs in a meeting of former MIAA members as the Ichabods picked up a 73-61 win on Tuesday night in Lee Arena. The Ichabods will return to action on Saturday at 6 p.m. when they will take on Eastern New Mexico following the women's basketball game with Montevallo which starts at 4 p.m.
 
After leading by as many as 13 points in the second half at 61-48 with 7:29 to play, an 8 to 1 run over the next 3:35 cut the margin to six with 3:54 to play as Washburn went through an 0-3 shooting stretch with a pair of turnovers. But Washburn responded with an 11 to 3 run to push the lead to a game-high 14 at 73-59 hitting all four shots from the field and both shots from deep to put the game out of reach as Javion Blake scored five points of his team-high 18 points during the run.
 
Blake finished with his first career double double with the 18 points adding a career-high 10 rebounds dishing out six assists as well.
 
Washburn (3-1) led 43-29 at the break after using a 17-0 spurt in the first half going 8 of 11 from the field during the run going on to shooting 49 percent from the field in the frame while holding the Bulldogs (0-4) to 40 percent.
 
Following Blake's 18 points, Tyler Geiman had 12 with a career-high-tying six rebounds and Tyas Martin scored 11. Truman was led by Nathan Messer's game-high 21 points hitting five 3-pointers.
 
Washburn finished the game 25 of 58 and hit 16 of 21 free throw attempts holding Truman to 23 of 54 shooting going 6 of 11 from the charity stripe. The Ichabods also held a 37 to 32 advantage on the glass turning 11 offensive rebounds into 18 second change points. Washburn also turned 14 turnovers by the Bulldogs into 24 points in a game which saw four lead changes.