BETHANY, Oklahoma –Senior guard
Javion Blake started his final season off in an Ichabod uniform in a big way scoring a career-high 36 points including the 14 of the final 16 points for Washburn as the Ichabods rallied from a five-point deficit with 2:29 to play picking up a 99-96 win over Oklahoma Baptist in the season opener. Washburn (1-0) will take on host school and No. 10-ranked Southern Nazarene on Saturday at 5 p.m.
With Washburn leading 84-75 with 6:39 to play in the game, Oklahoma Baptist (0-1) ripped off a 17-3 run to take a 92-87 lead setting up the final comeback by the Ichabods. Blake was fouled on a layup trimming the lead to 92-90 with 2:07 to play and after another bucket by the Bison, Blake returned serve with a layup of his own with 1:22 to go with the Bison still holding a two-point lead at 94-92. Blake was fouled and hit one free throw, but OBU's Antonio Wade scored his 29
th and 30
th points of the game with 1:06 to play.
Tyas Martin hit a driving layup for his 18
th point of the night as the lead was cut to one at 96-95. Washburn forced a turnover on a steal by
Emeka Ogbonna and a layup by Blake pushed the Ichabods back in front at 97-96. OBU missed a 3-pointer with five seconds to play and after he pulled down the rebound, Blake was fouled and hit both free throws as the Ichabods went up 99-96 and the three-quarter court shot by OBU missed and Washburn picked up the win.
The Ichabods led 45-43 at the break after hitting 12 of 31 shots from the field going 17 of 20 from the free throw line as
David Salach hit 9 of 10 attempts from the charity stripe.
Tyas Martin had 12 points hitting 5 of 8 shots from the field in the first half. In the frame it was a back and forth game as there were 10 ties and eight lead changes.
Following Blake's career high 36, Martin tied a career-high with 18 points and Salach had 18 going 10 of 12 from the free throw line adding a game-high nine rebounds. Geiman reached 13 points hitting 3 3-pointers adding six assists and four rebounds.
Washburn finished 33 of 65 from the field and 7 of 13 from 3-point range and went 26 of 34 from the free throw line.
Wade led the Bison with 30 points hitting all four 3-point attempts as the Bison were 15 of 23 from deep for a 65 percent average.
