Opening Tip
• Washburn will finish off its three-game road trip to start the calendar year in a battle of MIAA unbeatens as the Ichabods will travel to Maryville, Mo., on Saturday to face No. 2-ranked Northwest Missouri.
• Washburn received votes in the latest NABC poll coming in at No. 29 and was ranked No. 16 in the D2SIDA/Media poll … the Bearcats are ranked No. 2 in both polls. 
• The Ichabods are 11-2 this season and 4-0 in the MIAA after rallying for a 95-94 overtime win over Missouri Western surviving a 3-point assault from the Griffons as the host squad hit 19 in the game.
• Northwest Missouri enters the game with a perfect 15-0 record going 5-0 in league play sitting on the longest winning streak in the nation after blasting Emporia State on Jan. 9 in a 79-59 victory at home.
• The Bearcats are 8-0 this season in home games.
• Javion Blake leads the Ichabods in scoring at 20.8 ppg which is third in the MIAA rankings … in MIAA games Blake is averaging 25.8 ppg hitting 38 of 64 shots overall and 15 of 31 from 3-point range … in scoring 34 points against Missouri Western and 32 points against Emporia State … he became the first Ichabod to reach at least 30 in back to back games since Will McNeill did scoring 40 against Central Missouri on senior day on March 2, 2013 and then hitting for 34 against Central Oklahoma on March 7, 2013 in the first round of the MIAA Tournament.
• David Salach is averaging 12.3 ppg and 5.8 rpg … his rebounding total is 19th in the MIAA.
• Jalen Lewis is averaging 9.3 ppg off the bench and he is 17th in the MIAA in 3-point field goals made per game with 1.8 …in MIAA games he has upped his average to 11.0 ppg hitting 11 of 22 3-point attempts and his 24 3-pointer made this season is fifth on the Ichabod freshman chart.
• Tyas Martin is scoring 9.2 ppg while Tyler Geiman is scoring 7.8 ppg as well as dishing out 5.3 assists per game, which is second in the MIAA behind Northwest Missouri's Trevor Hudgins who has 6.2 per game.
• Will McKee is averaging 8.5 ppg while pulling down 7.2 rebounds per game which is fifth in the MIAA.
• Javion Blake has scored 1,469 career points placing him eighth all-time at Washburn … … next on the chart is Dan Buie in seventh who scored 1,484 points in two seasons at Washburn after averaging 24.7 ppg in 60 career games … Blake's 170 career 3-point field goals is seventh on the all-time chart … he has played 3,095 career minutes which is fourth at Washburn.
• David Salach has 96 career blocks which is fourth all-time at Washburn … he needs one more to pass Dan Buie for third and six more to pass Ewan Auguste for second … Salach leads the MIAA in blocks at 1.5 per contest.
 
 Bod Facts
• 90 x 5 The Ichabods have reached 90 points five games in a row … the last time the Ichabods have reached the 90-point plateau in five straight games was a four-game stretch between Nov. 20, 2004 and Nov. 30, 2004 when the Ichabods reached 100-points three games in a row with a 92-point effort … the Ichabods have never scored at least 90 in six straight games
• 19 3's Is the most an Ichabod team has given up since allowing 16 at Missouri Western on Dec. 19, 2010 in a 103-82 loss and the most by an opponent in school history
• +14.6 WU is second in the MIAA in scoring margin trailing NWMSU at 25.6 ppg
• +5.9 WU is third in the MIAA in rebounding margin
• 4.15 WU is leading the MIAA in blocked shots
• 17.29 WU is leading the MIAA in assists
• .420 WU is leading the MIAA in field goal defense
 
 Coaches
Washburn Ichabod head coach Brett Ballard …
• is 33-12 in his second season as the Ichabods' head coach and 66-42 overall in his fourth year as a head coach.
• was named the Washburn Ichabod men's basketball head coach on April 6, 2017 after spending the 2014-15 to 2016-17 seasons as an assistant coach with the Wake Forest basketball program after working under head coach Danny Manning 2014-17 seasons and at the University of Tulsa during the 2012-14 seasons.
• he helped Wake Forest to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since the 2009-10 season following the 2016-17 season.
• while at Tulsa, the Golden Hurricane played in the postseason both years, including earning a No. 13 seed in the 2014 NCAA Tournament. Tulsa also participated in the 2013 CBI, finishing that season with a winning record of 17-16 overall.
• before joining Manning at Tulsa, Ballard spent two seasons as the head basketball coach at Baker University going 33-30 overall, including a 21-12 mark in his final season at the helm in 2011-12.
• prior to taking over the head coaching position at Baker, Ballard spent seven years on Bill Self's staff at Kansas, his alma mater.
• he played two years for the Jayhawks under head coach Roy Williams from 2000-02 after transferring from Hutchinson Community College in his hometown of Hutchinson, Kan. In his two seasons as a Jayhawk, the team reached the 2001 NCAA Sweet Sixteen and appeared in the 2002 NCAA Final Four in Atlanta.
• he earned his bachelor's degree in secondary education from Kansas in 2003 earning an Academic All-Big 12 selection as a senior for his efforts in the classroom.
• is 0-3 against Northwest Missouri.
 
Northwest Missouri head coach Ben McCollum …
• is 217-75 in his tenth season as the Bearcats' head coach.
• he is a 2003 graduate of Northwest Missouri.
• named the 20th head coach in Bearcat history.
• played for Northwest going 51-12 in two seasons including a 29-3 mark during a run to the NCAA Elite Eight during the 2001-02 season.
• is 11-6 against the Ichabods.
 
 About Northwest Missouri
• The Bearcats are ranked No. 2 in both the NABC and the D2SIDA polls with a perfect 15-0 mark while going 5-0 in the MIAA and 8-0 in home games.
• Joey Witthus leads four Bearcats in double figures at 19.1 ppg … Trevor Hudgins is scoring 18.1 ppg and Ryan Hawkins is averaging 17.5 ppg and a team-high 9.7 rpg … Bernard Diego is scoring 11.3 ppg.
• The Bearcats are averaging 88.3 ppg (2nd in the MIAA) while allowing 62.7 ppg (1st in the MIAA).
• The Bearcats also lead the MIAA in scoring margin (25.6), field goal percentage (.531), 3-point field goal percentage (.456), 3-pointers made (12.5 per game), rebound defense (28.5 per game), turnover margin (+7.47) and assist to turnover ratio (+2.12).
 
 Series history with Northwest Missouri
• Saturday's meeting will be the 104th between the two schools and Washburn holds a 60-43 lead in the series.
• The Bearcats have won eight of the last nine meetings and the last six in the series with the last win coming in Bearcat Arena on Jan. 10, 2015 in a 70-64 win over Northwest.
• The series dates back to the 1940-41 season and they have played each other every year since WU joined the MIAA in 1989-90.
• The Ichabods are 21-11 against the Bearcats in Lee Arena and have won five of the last nine at home.
• Since the 1956-57 season, Washburn is 21-21 in Maryville and since joining the MIAA during the 1990-91 season, the Ichabods are 12-10 on the road.
• In the MIAA Tournament, the Ichabods are 3-6 against Northwest after the 2018 MIAA Championship game.
• In the NCAA Tournament, the Ichabods are 2-1 against the Bearcats after winning in the first round of the NCAA tournament in 2012 in Wichita Falls.
• The Ichabods won a regional final contest against the Bearcats in Topeka on March 10, 2001 advancing to the Elite Eight in Bakersfield, Calif., after a 67-61 win.
 
 Last Meeting with Northwest Missouri
No. 7 Northwest Missouri 80, Washburn 74 -- March 4, 2018
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Washburn Ichabods fell to the No. 7-ranked Northwest Missouri 80-74 in the MIAA Championship game on Sunday in Municipal Auditorium.
In a game which saw 51 fouls combined called on both teams, Washburn fell behind 41-28 at the break after going 10 of 25 from the field while the Bearcats were 14 of 25 including 6 of 14 from 3-point range while the Ichabods were 0 for 5 from deep.
In the second half the Ichabods fell behind by as many 12 13 before rallying to cut the lead to three on four different times but could not get any closer down the stretch as the Bearcats held on for the win.
Washburn was led by Brady Skeens who had a game-high 22 points with 13 rebounds for his 39th career double double going 8 of 13 from the field. Randall Smith scored 14 and Javion Blake had 13 for the Ichabods, whose record slipped to 22-9.
Northwest Missouri, 27-3, had four players in double figures led by Ryan Welty's 21 points.
Washburn outrebounded the Bearcats 33 to 29 and finished the game at 48 percent after going 16 of 29 from the field in the second half. Northwest finished 23 of 46 overall as the Ichabods held the Bearcats to 9 of 21 shooting in the second half.
 
 Last time out for the Ichabods
Washburn 95, Missouri Western 94 (ot) -- Jan. 9, 2019
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The Washburn Ichabods went over 90 points for the fifth-straight game for the first time since the 1992-93 season surviving a 3-point shooting barrage from Missouri Western in a 95-94 overtime win to remain perfect in the MIAA moving to 11-2 overall and 4-0 in league play.
Jalen Lewis hit a free throw with 1.8 seconds to play giving the Ichabods the one-point lead and Lavon Hightower's heave from 3-point range just missed as time expired.
To start the overtime, the Ichabods went up 88-86 after a pair of free throws by David Salach, but the Griffons came back with a 3-pointer, but Javion Blake hit a free throw with 3:28 to go tying the score at 89. A layup by the Griffons pushed their lead to two, but Salach hit a layup tying the score and a Blake free throw and layup pushed the lead to three with 26 seconds to play.
The Griffons hit their 19th and final 3-pointer of the evening with 13 seconds to go by Tyus Millhollin tying the score at 94. After a missed layup by the Ichabods, Lewis was fouled hitting what would be the go-ahead free throw.
Washburn trailed by five at the break at 40-35. The Ichabods was 20 of 34 from the free throw line hit 5 of 8 from the free throw line in the extra frame. The Griffons (8-8, 2-3 MIAA) did not attempt a free throw in the overtime period.
Blake led all scorers with 34 points going over 30 for the second-straight game on 13 of 22 shooting adding five rebounds and three steals. Salach scored 21 points with four boards hitting 5 of 6 free throws. Tyas Martin finished with 12 points and Lewis finished with 10. Devyn Wilson had eight points with seven rebounds and five assists. Jace Williams had a team-high eight rebounds.
Hudson scored 23 points to lead the Griffons with 23 points and Hightower had 20 points with a game-high 11 rebounds.
Washburn finished 35 of 74 from the field for a 47 percent average while the Griffons were 33 of 70 overall. Western came into the game hitting 32 percent from 3-point range and finished the game at 43 percent hitting 19 of 44. Washburn was 20 of 34 overall from the free throw line and Missouri Western was 9 of 14. On the glass, the Ichabods held a 46 to 43 margin. Washburn outscored the Griffons 58 to 26 in the paint. The Ichabods only committed seven turnovers in the game while the Griffons turned it over 14 times.
 
 Regional Rankings
• The Ichabods are ranked second in the D2SIDA Regional rankings behind Northwest Missouri.
      School                               Record     Pts.      LW
1        Northwest Missouri State (6)              14-0            60            1
2       Washbur• 10-2                                       48               6
3       Southern Nazarene                               12-2            47            3
4       Northern State                                      11-3            44            7
5       Minnesota State                                    11-3            33            9
6       Missouri Souther• 11-3                         26               2
7        Wayne State                                          11-3             18            5
8       St. Cloud State                                      10-4            11            4
9       Lincoln (Mo.)                                         10-3            10          NR
10     Pittsburg State                                     10-3             9             8
 
 Ichabod basketball history
• The Ichabods are 1,573-1,070-2 all-time in the 115th year in the program's history.
• Washburn is the 10th-winningest program in NCAA Division II history by victories.
• Washburn is the winningest MIAA program since the 1989-90 season with an overall record of 594-275 since joining the conference and the NCAA.
• The Ichabods have recorded 27 20-win seasons and they have one 30-win seasons after going 35-4 during the 1986-87 NAIA Championship season.
• Washburn has won 21 conference championships including 10 MIAA titles.
• Washburn has received 12 NCAA Tournament bids going to three Elite Eight's appearing in the 2001 NCAA National Championship game.
 
 Home sweet home
• The Ichabods are 439-87 (.848) all-time in Lee Arena.
• The 2018-19 season marks the 34th season of play in Lee Arena.
• The Ichabods recorded a school-best 28-game winning streak from Nov. 19, 1993 to Feb. 8, 1995 in Lee Arena.
 
 Up next
• Washburn will return to the friendly confines of Lee Arena to host Nebraska-Kearney on Jan. 16 and then host Fort Hays State on Jan. 19 in the NCAA Game of the Week which will be televised on the NCAA Division II Facebook and Twitter sites.