> The Washburn Ichabods will host a pair of regional contests this weekend starting on Friday at 6 p.m. with Southwestern Oklahoma State then taking on Truman at 3 p.m. on Saturday as four teams will come to Lee Arena for the 2019 Washburn Thanksgiving Classic presented by the Ramada Inn Downtown Hotel. Fellow MIAA member Newman is also involved in the weekend action.
> Washburn (3-1) has been off the court from competition since Nov. 20 when they opened Lee Arena with a 103-73 win over Ottawa.
> Southwestern Oklahoma State is 3-3 this season and 1-1 in the Great American Conference after falling 102-79 last time out to Southeastern Oklahoma State on Nov. 23.
> Truman enters the weekend 2-3 and will face Newman on Friday before taking on the Ichabods on Saturday.
> The Bulldogs defeated a then-No. 7-ranked Missouri Southern in its last game 71-68 on Nov. 21 in Kirksville.
> Washburn improved to 35-1 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.
  > After not shooting above 40 percent from the field in any of their three previous games, the Ichabods shot 64 percent from the field in the win over Ottawa including 12 of 26 from 3-point range for a 46 percent clip.
> Tyler Geiman recorded his second double double of the season against Ottawa with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
> Jalen Lewis scored a career-high 25 points against Ottawa all coming in the first half.
> Tyler Nelson scored his first points of the season against Ottawa scoring 14 points.
> Clausing is ranked third in the MIAA in rebounding thus far and is second in the league lead in blocks at 2.3 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 tied for first in the MIAA in assists (7.3 apg) and is third in minutes per game at 37.3.
  WASHBURN ICHABOD HEAD COACH BRETT BALLARD
>  is 49-19 in his third season as the Ichabods' head coach and 82-49 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.
>  has never faced Southwestern Oklahoma State and is 1-0 against Truman.
 
SOUTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA STATE HEAD COACH TERRY EVANS
>   is 8-26 in his second season on the Bulldog bench.
>   he is 217-150 overall.
>   he spent 13 seasons on the Central Oklahoma bench leading the Bronchos to a 263-124 record.
>   is 7-7 against the Ichabods all coming while he was at Central Oklahoma.
 
TRUMAN HEAD COACH JEFF HORNER
>   is 16-18 in his second season as a head coach and his first season at Truman.
>   a former standout point guard at the University of Iowa (2002-06) comes to Kirksville after a successful four-year run at Division I University of North Dakota of the Big Sky Conference. There, Horner served as the director of operations for one season (2014-15) before three as an assistant coach (2015-18).
>   graduated from the University of Iowa in 2006 with a degree in communication studies after starting all four years as a member of the Hawkeyes. He capped those four seasons by being named the Big Ten Tournament's Most Outstanding Player as a senior when Iowa defeated Ohio State in the title game.
>   is 0-1 against the Ichabods.
  WASHBURN 103 (3-1)
OTTAWA 73 (7-0)
Nov. 20, 2019
TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn Ichabods shot a blistering 65 percent from the field and Jalen Lewis poured in a career-high 25 points in the first half as the Ichabods rolled to a 103-73 home-opening win over the Ottawa Braves.
Washburn was 22 of 34 in the first half hitting 7 of 16 shots from 3-point range and Lewis was 10 of 14 from the field and 5 of 9 from 3-point range as he eclipsed his previous high of 22 points against Minnesota State earlier this season.
The Ichabods led by 13 in the opening frame at 39-26 with 4:39 to go, but outscored the Braves (7-0) 13-3 the final 4:41 of the half to take a 52-29 lead into the halftime break.
With Washburn leading by 25 at 70-45, the Braves would go on an 11-2 run over the next 2:20 to cut the lead to 19 but the Ichabods responded with a 14-2 run of their own followed by a 13-4 run pushing the lead to 34 picking up the win improving to 35-1 all-time in home openers in Lee Arena.
Lewis finished with 25 points not attempting a shot in the second half to pace Washburn taking game-high scoring honors. Tyler Geiman had his third career double double with 16 points and 11 assists while Jonny Clausing had 15 points and Tyler Nelson scored a career-high 14 points adding three steals. Drew Maschoff had eight rebounds and five assists to go with nine points.
Mason McDow had 14 points to lead the Braves in the game which was an exhibition game for Ottawa.
Washburn finished the game 43 of 67 from the field shooting 64 percent in the second half. The Ichabods were 12 of 26 from 3-point range and hit 5 of 6 free throws. The Braves shot 48 percent from the field in the game hitting 29 of 60 shots. The Ichabods dominated on the glass outrebounding the Braves 39 to 18 and outscored the Braves 48 to 34 in the paint and 31 to 6 in fast break points.
  > The Bulldogs enter the weekend 3-3 overall coming off a 102-79 loss at Southeastern Oklahoma State.
>  The Bulldogs are 1-1 against MIAA competition topping Emporia State 82-73 in overtime and falling to Fort Hays State 58-53 at the GAC/MIAA Challenge.
>  Damion Thorton leads the team in scoring at 17.0 ppg and Jaylan Williams is scoring 10.0 ppg.
  >   The Ichabods lead the all-time series 2-1 with Southwestern Oklahoma State.
>   The teams have not met since a 76-73 win over the Buldogs on their home court on Nov. 12, 2016.
>   The Ichabods won the first meeting Nov. 17, 1977 game in which the Ichabods won 87-71.
>   The Bulldogs won the last meeting on Nov. 28, 2008 in a 105-99 overtime win over the Ichabods at the Central Oklahoma Classic in Edmond.
  WASHBURN 76
SOUTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA STATE 73
NOVEMBER 12, 2016
WEATHERFORD, Okla. -- The Washburn Ichabods withstood an 18-5 run over the final 8:23 of the game by Southwestern Oklahoma State going without a field goal for the final 8:37 of the contest holding on for a 76-73 win over the Bulldogs.
The Ichabods were 0 of 10 from the field down the stretch hitting 5 of 9 free throws for the win, which was victory No. 790 for Ichabod head coach Bob Chipman.
Washburn led by as many as 12 in the first half after a 3-pointer by Isaac Clark with 1:39 to play in the frame as the Ichabods took a 42-33 lead into the locker room over the host Bulldogs (0-2) after shooting 53 percent from the field holding Southwestern Oklahoma to 42 percent shooting.
The Ichabods pushed their lead to 19 points on a Cameron Wiggins' 3-pointer with 16:33 to play but were outscored 36 to 20 the rest of the way as Washburn cooled off to 6 of 24 shooting from the field, including a 3 of 11 performance from 3-point range while the Bulldogs heated up to 11 of 21 from the field.
Washburn never trailed in the second half, but led at 74-71 with 61 seconds to play after a pair of free throws by Collin Jennings. After a missed lay up by the Ichabods, Markeise Champion hit a jumper with 17 seconds remaining cutting the lead to 74-73.
The Bulldogs fouled and Randall Smith hit both Free throws going up 76-73 with 14 seconds to play and the Bulldogs were unable to get off a shot in the final seconds leading to the Washburn win.
Wiggins led the Ichabods with 21 pionts hitting seven 3-pointers and Brady Skeens recorded his first double double of the season and his 11th of his career with 19 points and 12 rebounds with seven coming off the offensive end adding three blocks. Javion Blake and David Salach each had 11 points. Smith scored four points dishing out seven assists.
Washburn finished 44 percent from the field hitting 29 of 65 shots and 9 of 27 3-pointers in the contest going 9 of 18 from the free throw line.
The Bulldogs were 26 of 58 overall and 7 of 18 from 3-point range and hit 14 of 16 free throws.
Washburn was outrebounded 40 to 36 in the game and outscored the Bulldogs 36 to 26 in the paint.
  > The Bulldogs enter the weekend 2-3 prior to their game with Newman on Friday in Lee Arena.
>  The Bulldogs are 1-0 against MIAA competition knocking off No. 7-ranked Missouri Southern last time out on Nov. 21 in Kirksville in a 71-68 win.
>  Brodric Thomas leads the team in scoring at 22.4 ppg and Hunter Strait is scoring 12.2 ppg.
  >   Saturday's meeting will be the 60th in the series with the Ichabods leading 41-18 all-time.
>   Overall the Ichabods have won two of the last five, four of the last six and 11 of the last 13 meetings.
>   The Ichabods are 27-5 all-time against the Bulldogs in Topeka.
>   In games played in Lee Arena, Washburn is 26-3 all-time against Truman as the Bulldogs picked up victories in a 67-65 win on Feb. 1, 1999, an 81-72 win on Jan. 28, 2006 and a 64-56 in their last trip to Lee Arena picking up a 64-56 win on Jan. 16, 2013 which snapped a six-game Ichabod winning streak over the Bulldogs.
>   The Ichabods were 1-2 in games against Truman played in Whiting Fieldhouse.
  WASHBURN 73
TRUMAN 61
NOVEMBER 20, 2018
TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn men's basketball team held off a second half surge by the Truman Bulldogs in a meeting of former MIAA members as the Ichabods picked up a 73-61 win on Tuesday night in Lee Arena.
After leading by as many as 13 points in the second half at 61-48 with 7:29 to play, an 8 to 1 run over the next 3:35 cut the margin to six with 3:54 to play as Washburn went through an 0-3 shooting stretch with a pair of turnovers. But Washburn responded with an 11 to 3 run to push the lead to a game-high 14 at 73-59 hitting all four shots from the field and both shots from deep to put the game out of reach as Javion Blake scored five points of his team-high 18 points during the run.
Blake finished with his first career double double with the 18 points adding a career-high 10 rebounds dishing out six assists as well.
Washburn (3-1) led 43-29 at the break after using a 17-0 spurt in the first half going 8 of 11 from the field during the run going on to shooting 49 percent from the field in the frame while holding the Bulldogs (0-4) to 40 percent.
Following Blake's 18 points, Tyler Geiman had 12 with a career-high-tying six rebounds and Tyas Martin scored 11. Truman was led by Nathan Messer's game-high 21 points hitting five 3-pointers.
Washburn finished the game 25 of 58 and hit 16 of 21 free throw attempts holding Truman to 23 of 54 shooting going 6 of 11 from the charity stripe. The Ichabods also held a 37 to 32 advantage on the glass turning 11 offensive rebounds into 18 second change points. Washburn also turned 14 turnovers by the Bulldogs into 24 points in a game which saw four lead changes.
  >  The Ichabods are 1589-1078-2 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 609-281 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 447-89  (.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.
  >  Washburn will 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.