THE TIP-OFF
Washburn women's basketball will celebrate the end of the fall semester December 17-18 as it jets to Sin City for a two-game trip as part of the Las Vegas Hoopla. The Ichabods will face St. Edward's (Texas) on Monday teh 17th  (12 pm CT) before squaring off with NCAA newcomer Embry-Riddle (Fla.) on Tuesday the 18th.

THEY GOT (NO) HISTORY 
Washburn's games in Sin City will be the first-ever meeting with St. Edward's and Embry-Riddle.

VIVA LAS VEGAS
• This is Washburn's fourth trip to Las Vegas with the team previously visited the "Entertainment Capital of the World" in 2003, 2005 and 2012.
• The Ichabods are 4-2 all time when playing in the "City of Lights".
• Washburn is 2-0 when facing teams from Texas in the "Glitter Gulch" with a 88-57 win over Texas A&M-Kingsville (12/16/03) and a 63-52 decision over West Texas A&M on Dec. 20, 2005.

SCOUTIN' THE 'TOPPERS
• St. Edward's is a member of the Heartland Conference (HC) and transitioned from NAIA to NCAA Division II in 1999.
• The Hilltoppers went 11-17 last season and finished seventh in the conference play with an 4-10 mark though put together a 20-9 record with an NCAA regional appearance in 2016-17
• SEU is led by head coach J.J. Riehl who's in her seventh season and began the year with a 90-78 career record.
• Statistically, SEU is among the Division II Top 25 in blocks (18th/42), blocks per game (22nd/4.7) and three-point defense (19th/24.7).
• The 'Topper offense ranks 31st in Division II in scoring margin (15.0) and second in the HC in scoring (72.2/game).
• SEU opponents are averaging 57.2 points a game and are shooting .351 from the field while pulling down 39.6 rebounds.
• Isabel Hernandez is fifth in the HC in FG shooting (.433), sixth in assist-turnover ratio (1.16) and second in rebounds per game (8.0).
• Lexi Cunningham and Maryam Wilcher lead the team in three-pointer and have combined for 29.

SCOUTIN' THE EAGLES
• Embry-Riddle, located in Daytona Beach, Fla., is a member of the Sunshine State Conference (SSC) and began its transition to Division II in 2015-16.
• In its first full-year of postseason eligibility ERAU advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Southeast Regional in 2017-18, finishing the year 24-8.
• This season, the Eagles were ranked among the Top 25 on Nov. 27, landing at 22nd in the WBCA poll, while checking in at 17 in the D2SIDA poll.
• Against the MIAA, ERAU is 1-1 having beaten Lindenwood (66-61) on Nov. 11, 2016 before falling to Central Missouri (67-50) 11 days later.
• The Eagles lead the nation in FT percentage (.836), are 21st in three-pointers per game (8.9) and are 26th in team per game assists (16.9).
• ERAU is under the direction of head coach Lisa Nuxol-Wilson who is the only coach in program-history and began the season with a career 65-48 record.
• Lauren Ellenberger is among the nation's best in assists (19th/44) and assists per game (16th/5.5) while pacing ERAU and the SSC in FT percentage (88.5)
• Nicole Tucker is second in the SSC in points per game (16.0) as she's shooting .554 (46-83) from the field and 14 of 28 (.500) from behind the arc.