TIPPING OFF
• Washburn women's basketball begins its final week of the regular season on Thursday against Central Oklahoma in Edmond at 5:30 pm.
• WU is 18-8 overall, 10-7 in the MIAA standings and will host a first round game of the MIAA Championship on Monday, Feb. 26 at 7 pm.
• The Ichabods have worked themselves out of a rut have won their last four outings.
• Reagan Phelan leads the team in scoring with 15.4 points/game and is making 41.8 percent (127-304)attempts from the field.
• Alexis McAfee has converted 51 of 61 (.836) FTs.
• Axelle Bernard is the team's per game leader in blocks (2.2) and rebounds (8.2).

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 loss.
• improves its record to 19-8 overall, 11-7 in the MIAA.
• would give head coach Ron McHenry career win number 425, putting him six shy of tying Patty Dick for the program-record in career wins (431).

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE LATELY?
• The Ichabods are 4-1 in their last five games and are shooting .453 on FGs, .372 on 3FGs, and .757 on FTs, while holding opponents to .360 on FGs and .296 on 3FGs.
• WU is averaging about 76 points (75.7) a game during its last three games while limiting opponents just under 60 a game (59.7).
• Phelan is WU's leading scorer in MIAA play, averaging 17.2 points/game, while shooting .433 on FGs, .394 on 3FG, and .897 on FTs with 3.1 assists per game.
• Phelan is averaging 18.0 ppg, 4.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 3.0 steals a game in the last three contests.
• McAfee in the last three games is putting up 16.3 ppg, 3.0 assists, and 6.0 boards a contest, while completing 8 of 10 from deep.
• Bernard is averaging a 15.0 ppg and 6.7 rebounds with eight assists and eight blocks in the last three outings.
• In its last five games, the Ichabods have outscored opponents by a collectively, 333-290 ... +26 in the first quarter (90-64) ... owned an advantage in points in the paint (164-96) and rebounding (184-157).

JUST FIVE MINUTES
• This season the Ichabods have made 77 of 184 (.416) FGs during the final 300 seconds including 29 of 86 (.333) 3FGs and have made 91 of 131 (.695) FTs.
• WU has made a combined 10 of 15 (.667) FTs in the last three games stripes.

ON THE GLASS
• Washburn is fourth in the MIAA in total rebounds (1,006) and sixth in per game average (38.7), while ranking 60th nationally and fourth among the league in rebound margin (+5.0)
• Within the last five games WU has outdone opponents in rebounding, 184-157, while averaging 36.8 a game.
• The Ichabods have +32 margin in offensive rebounds (296-264) for the season, but are a -1 (54-55) in the their last five.
• Bernard alone has registered 29 boards during the five game stretch and is seventh among MIAA leaders in total rebounds (214).
• Bernard has pulled down double-digit boards 13 times this season including a career-best, 15 against Truman State (11/25).

GETTING DEFENSIVE
• WU is ranked fifth in the MIAA in scoring defense (60.9 ppg) and 64th on the NCAA Division II chart. 
• The Ichabods are also fourth in the MIAA in FG% defense (.300).
• WU is fifth in the league in steals (205) and sixth in steals per game (7.9).
• Washburn is seventh in the MIAA in forced turnovers per game (15.7).
• Bernard is listed among the top 35 in the nation in total blocks (32nd, 56) and blocks per game (31st, 2.2) and is second-overall in the MIAA for both categories.
• Bernard is also among the top 10 rebounders in the conference with 214 total boards (6th), 8.2 per game (8th), and 6.0 defensive boards per game (4th) 
• Phelan's 54 total steals and 2.1 a game has her listed fourth among MIAA leaders in both categories

AT THE LINE
• Washburn opened the season shooting .678 from the line through the first seven games.
• Season-high mark .882 came against Nebraska Christian on Nov. 15, as WU made 15 of 17.
• In 17 MIAA games, the Ichabods' free throw percentage is .764 (197-258).
• WU has made 113 of 151 (.748) FTs in true road games this season.
• Phelan is third among MIAA leaders in FT attempts (134) and FTs made (109) where she is listed 46th in Div. II.
• In the five games, Phelan has completed 22 of 24 (.917) FTs ... Bernard has made 13 of 15 (.867) with McAfee making 9 of 11 (.818) from the FT stripe.

THE STARTING FIVE
• The Ichabods have rolled out four different starting lineups this season.
• The collective group average about 52 points a game (51.7) for the season.
• Against the MIAA, Washburn starters are shooting .422 on FGs, .333 on 3FG, .827 on FTs.

RECORD PLAYER NOTES
• Phelan cracked the top 35 in scoring in Washburn WBB history ... she entered the week at 35th overall, 13 points shy of passing former Ichabod Erika Lane's 739 points for 34th on all-time list. 
• With 16 points in Saturday's win over SBU, Phelan became just the 22nd different player in program-history to eclipse the 400 points  in a single-season ... her 401 points thus far is 42nd in single-season lore.
• On Jan. 14, Phelan become the third player in program-history to score 32 points in a single-game and first player with 30 or more points in over six seasons.
• With three blocks against Southwest Baptist on Saturday, Bernard passed Jannica Beam for sole possession of second on the single-season blocks list with 56 and now four shy of tying the all-time single-season record (60) set by Brenda Shaffer-Dahl in 1988-89.
• Bernard also became just the 35th player in WU history to register 200 rebounds in a single season ... with 214 rebounds to begin the week, Bernard is now 14 shy tying Jennifer Butcher's mark (228) for 25th, which was et during the 1999-2000.
• McAfee's shooting percentage from three-point distance (.377) is currently the highest mark since Laura Kinderknecht shot .388 in 2012-13.

AWAY FROM HOME
• The Ichabods are 5-4 in true games this season and 2-0 when on a neutral floor.
• In their nine road games this season, the Ichabods are shooting .430 on FGs, .332 on 3FGs, and .786 on FTs, while opponents shoot .392 on FGs and .323 on 3FGs with .754 on FTs
• On the road this season, WU has been outscored by opponents by a narrow -4.0 margin (587-591) and have averaged 65.2 points/game.
• Bernard (11.9), Phelan (15.7) and McAfee (10.9) are each averaging double-digit points while on the road.

ABOUT CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
• The Bronchos are 20-6 overall, and fifth in the MIAA standings at 11-6.
• UCO went 1-1 last week defeating Nebraska-Kearney (59-53), before a loss to Fort Hays State snapped a three-game win streak.
• Central Oklahoma leads the conference in blocks (142), FG% defense (.349), rebounds (1,098), rebounds per game (42.2) and 3FGs allowed (27.8), while being among the top half in the league in several other categories.
• Jeshon Cooper is the MIAA leader in blocks (75) and blocks per game (2.9) and second in the league in rebounds (10.6/game) while averaging 9.6 ppg.
• Melinda Murillo is seventh in the MIAA in scoring (17.2/game) while also being listed among the league's top 10 in FT%( .886, 2nd), assists (3.4/game, 5th), and FG% (.383, 10th).
• The Bronchos are led by Guy Hardaker who is in his 12th season with UCO. 

A LIL' BIT OF HISTORY
• Thursday will mark the 17th all-time meeting between Washburn and Central Oklahoma since 1994 and just the 10th MIAA regular season showdown.
• Washburn leads the series, 9-7.
• UCO has won 4 of the last 5 meetings.
• In Edmond, Washburn is 3-2 when facing UCO, but have not won their since Jan. 22, 2015.
• WU lost to the first meeting of the season at home, 62-60.

WASHBURN TRADITION
The 2017-18 campaign marks the 49th season of Washburn women's basketball. The program is 883-392-1 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.

UPCOMING ON THE SCHEDULE
• Washburn will remain in the Sooner State for its regular season finale on Saturday when it faces Northeastern State at 1:30 pm in Tahlequah.
• First round of the MIAA Tournament for the Ichabods will be played at Lee Arena on Feb. 26 at 7 pm, opponent has yet to be determined.