>The Washburn Ichabods will make its Lee Arena debut this season on Wednesday when they will play host to the Ottawa Braves at 7 p.m.
>Washburn (2-1) is coming off a 57-55 loss at Rockhurst on Friday night.
>The Ichabods were ranked No. 24 in the latest D2SIDA media poll and received votes in the NABC Top 25 preseason poll.
>The Braves are 7-0 this season and 2-0 in the KCAC and Wednesday's game will be an exhibition game for Ottawa.
>Ottawa knocked off No. 14-ranked Southwestern College 92-90 last time out on Saturday for its second-straight win over a top-25-ranked opponent.
>The Braves were picked fourth in the KCAC preseason coaches poll after going 14-10 in the league and 18-14 overall.
>Washburn is 34-1 all-time in home openers in Lee Arena with the lone loss coming on Nov. 16, 1990 to Friends in an 89-88 defeat.
>The Ichabods were tabbed third in both the MIAA Preseason Coaches and Preseason Media Polls for the second year in a row which were released on Oct. 9 at the MIAA Basketball Media Day in Kansas City.
  >The Ichabods trailed by as many as 14 in the first half at Rockhurst only trailing  by two at the break to take the lead back with under two minutes to play but could not hold on in a 57-55.
>Jonny Clausing has recorded back to back double doubles with 12 points and 10 rebounds against Winona State on Nov. 9 and 10 points and a career-high 16 rebounds against Rockhurst last time out.
>Clausing has 35 rebounds total this season leading the team and his 17 rebounds on the offensive glass are three times more than anyone else on the team.
>Clausing is ranked second in the MIAA in rebounding thus far and is tied for the league lead in blocks at 3.0 per game.
>Ichabod starters have scored 159 of Washburn's 200 points this season (79.5 percent).
>The Ichabods are currently last in the MIAA in field goal percentage at .344 (67 of 195) and ranked third in field goal defense at .353 (67 of 190).
>Tyler Geiman is ranke third in the MIAA in assists (6.0 apg) and leads the MIAA in minutes per game at 39.3.
  WASHBURN ICHABOD HEAD COACH BRETT BALLARD
> is 48-19 in his third season as the Ichabods' head coach and 81-49 overall in his fifth year as a head coach.
> has led the Ichabods to two NCAA postseason appearances in both seasons at Washburn.
> 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 3-2 against Ottawa overall going 1-0 at Washburn and 2-2 while at Baker.
 
OTTAWA HEAD COACH AARON SIEBENTHALL
>  is 65-62 in his fifth season as the Braves head coach.
>  spent nine seasons as an assistant at Ottawa.
>  is 0-1 against the Ichabods.
  Rockhurst 57 (1-2)
Washburn 55 (2-1)
Nov. 16, 2019
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Washburn Ichabods trailed by as many as 14 in the first half rallying to only trail by two at the break to take the lead back with under two minutes to play but could not hold on in a 57-55 loss to Rockhurst.
The Ichabods fell behind 16-2 to start the game as Washburn (2-1) started the game 1 of 10 from the field not hitting their first field goal until the 14:24 mark of the first half. With Washburn trailing 19-9 with 3:40 to go, the Ichabods finished the first half on an 11-3 run cutting the deficit to 22-20.
In the second half, Rockhurst pushed the lead to seven at 42-35 with 9:52 to go before back to back 3-pointers by Tyler Geiman and Isaiah Thorne pulled Washburn within one at 42-41 with 8:32 to play, but again the Hawks (1-2) pushed their advantage back to five at 48-43 with 5:50 left.
A 6-0 run by Washburn on a 3-pointer by Jalen Lewis with a free throw by Geiman and an lay-up by Jonny Clausing put Washburn up 49-48 with 4:38 to play but the Ichabods would get no closer than the two at the final buzzer after a pair of free throws by Lewis with seven seconds left.
Geiman led the Ichabods with 11 points and Clausing had 10 with a career-high 16 rebounds adding another career high of five blocks.
Washburn shot 5 of 25 from the field in the first half while holding Rockhurst to 9 of 31 overall. Washburn was 1 of 12 from deep the first 20 minutes of the game and finished 5 of 31 overall from 3-point range in the game. The Ichabods were 19 of 65 overall from the field.
  > Ottawa is a perfect 7-0 this season and 2-0 in the KCAC coming off back to back wins over top 25-ranked NAIA opponents including a 92-90 win over Southwestern (Kan.) on the road Saturday night.
> Darryl Bowie leads the team in scoring at 15.6 ppg pacing a total of four Braves in double-figure scoring.
> Ryan Haskins is scoring 15.0 ppg, Jaquan Daniels is scoring 14.0 ppg and Mat Baldeh is scoring 10.4 ppg.
  >  Wednesday's meeting will be the 71st meeting in school history and the first since a 96-75 win on Nov. 25, 2017 in Lee Arena.
>  Washburn leads the series 53-17 all-time.
>  Washburn has won the last 22 games in the series.
>  Ottawa's last win came on Dec. 29, 1959 in an 85-68 win in Ottawa.
>  The series dates back to the first meeting on Jan. 25, 1909 which the Braves won 25-21.
  WASHBURN 96
OTTAWA 75
NovEMBER 25, 2017
TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn bench scored 52 of the Ichabods 96 points as they rallied from a 1-point deficit Saturday night to defeat Ottawa 96-75 in Lee Arena.
The Ichabods trailed 48-47 as the half as the Braves shot a blistering 59 percent from the field including a 7 of 11 performance from 3-point range in the first half taking the intermission lead closing with a 9-0 lead.
Washburn (3-3) opened the second half on a 12-2 run holding the Braves to 1 of 6 shooting to start the frame while the Ichabods went 5 of 8 including 2 of 3 3-pointers building a nine-point lead. Ottawa cut the lead back to six at 61-55 with 14:42 to play on one of its 11 3-pointers on the night, but Washburn came back with a 14-4 spurt stretching the lead to 16 with 12 of the 14 points coming from bench personnel and Ottawa did not get closer than 16 the rest of the way.
Javion Blake led the Ichabods with 22 points with 12 coming in the first half. He finished 9 of 15 from the field going 4 of 6 from 3-point range. Isaac Clark scored a career-high 20 points in 25 minutes adding five rebounds and two steals. Also collecting career highs were Tyas Martin with 16 on 7 of 11 shooting and Will McKee on 5 of 7 shooting. Brady Skeens led the Ichabods with 12 rebounds and four assists grabbing four steals with a block adding eight points.
Isaiah Palmer led the Braves with 13 points off the bench.
Washburn finished 37 of 78 from the field for a 47 percent average while the Braves were 21 of 47 for a 45 percent clip. Washburn was 9 of 30 from 3-point range while Ottawa was 11 of 22 from deep. The Ichabods held a 51 to 28 advantage on the glass turning 19 offensive rebounds into 20 second chance points. Washburn also had 48 points in the paint and 16 fast break points and turned 22 Braves turnovers into 29 points.
  OTTAWA 92
#14 SOUTHWESTERN (KAN.) 90
NOVEMBER 16, 2019
WINFIELD, Kan. – For the second time in four days, the Ottawa University men's basketball team knocked off a NAIA Division II Top 25 opponent. OU defeated Southwestern College, 92-90, on Saturday evening in Stewart Field House. It was a last second shot by Daryll Bowie that gave the Braves the two point victory over the no. 13 Moundbuilders. There were 11 ties and 18 lead changes in the contest. Ottawa is off to its best start since the 1938-39 team that opened the season 11-0.
The teams exchanged baskets for much of the first half. Mason McDow's basket with 11:06 left in the first half tied the game for the fifth time, 21-21. Ottawa retook the lead and after 3-pt field goals by Bowie and Kyle Patrick, OU had a 27-21 lead at the 10:29 mark.
Southwestern responded with a 9-3 run, retaking the lead 30-27. The Braves answered, retaking the lead once more and increasing it to six points, 38-32, on two free throws by Bowie with 3:34 on the clock. The Moundbuilders were able to erase the OU lead and tied the game at 42-42 with 49 seconds left in the half.
In the final seven seconds of the first half, McDow stole the ball and Ryan Haskins took a three. He missed but the ball was rebounded by Mat Baldeh. He found Haskins and this time the 3-pt field goal attempt found the bottom of the net, giving OU a 45-42 lead at the half.
In the second half, the Braves were able to build their lead to six points, 57-51, on a basket by Baldeh. Southwestern rallied and took a 68-64 lead over the Braves with 10:49 left in regulation. A 3-pt field goal by Joe Johnson III cut the deficit to one, 68-67.
The Moundbuilders, however, were able to maintain their lead and with 8:55 on the clock had a 73-72 advantage over the Braves. Ottawa retook the lead 51 seconds later on a basket by Bowie, 74-73. Another Bowie jumper in the lane gave OU a 76-73 lead.
OU's lead did not last for long as SWC tied the game at 80-80 with 4:27 left in the contest. The Braves retook the lead less than a minute later on a Patrick 3-pt field goal. A second straight three by Patrick gave OU an 86-80 lead with three minutes on the clock.
SWC again cut into the OU lead and with 22 seconds on the clock, the Braves led 88-87. The Moundbuilders started to foul and with 11 seconds on the clock, sent Haskins to the line. The senior connected on both free throws, giving OU a 90-87 lead.
The Moundbuilders pushed the ball up the floor and Justin Criddle connected on a 3-pt field goal to tie the game at 90-90 with five seconds on the clock. After a time out by Southwestern, Bowie received the inbound pass 94 feet from the basket. He pushed the ball up the floor and released the ball in the lane as the buzzer sounded. The shot was good and the Braves took the 92-90 victory.
  > The Ichabods are 1588-1078-2 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 608-281 since joining the conference and the NCAA.
> The Ichabods have recorded 28 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.
  > The Ichabods are 446-89  (.848) all-time in Lee Arena.
> The 2019-20 season marks the 36th 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.
  > The Ichabods will be back in action on Nov. 29 against Southwestern Oklahoma State and on Nov. 30 against Truman at the Washburn Thanksgiving Classic. Washburn will then open MIAA play at Pittsburg State on Dec. 5 and at Missouri Southern on Dec. 7 before facing Kansas Christian on Dec. 14 in Lee Arena.