Let the Postseason Begin
• The Washburn Ichabods will see a familiar face in the NCAA Central Regional First Round as they will take on Missouri Southern on March 16 in Maryville, Mo., at noon inside Northwest Missouri's Bearcat Arena.
• The Ichabods are the No. 3 seed in the regional and the Lions are the No. 6 seed.
• The Ichabods (24-7) fell in the MIAA Tournament Championship game on March 9 in an 82-53 loss to No. 1-ranked Northwest Missouri.
• The Lions (23-7) lost in the MIAA Tournament first round to Pittsburg State 89-80 on March 8 in their last time out.
• Missouri Southern won the only meeting between the Ichabods and the Lions on Jan. 23 in an 89-86 win in Joplin in a game the Lions connected on 27 of 28 free throws.
• The Ichabods are making their 14th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and their second straight.
• The last time the Ichabods went to back to back NCAA Tournament appearances was during the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons.
• The Ichabods and the Lions have faced each other twice in the NCAA Regional with the Lions winning both meetings in overtime. The first meeting was on March 10, 2000 in Joplin in a 79-73 loss in the second round. The second meeting was on March 12, 2011 in Edmond, Okla., in a second round game in a 82-79 overtime loss.
• The Ichabods are 14-13 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
• Washburn advanced to the 2001 NCAA Championship game falling 72-63 to Kentucky Wesleyan.
• Washburn is 8-8 in neutral site NCAA tournament games.
• The Ichabods are 1-2 in NCAA tournament away games.
• Washburn is 5-3 in NCAA tournament home games.
• The Ichabods are 8-54 in NCAA tournament first round games.
• Washburn is 3-5 in second round NCAA tournament games.
• The Ichabods are 1-2 in NCAA regional tournament games played in Missouri going 0-1 in Maryville and going 1-1 in two games played in Joplin at the 2000 NCAA Central Regional.
• In NCAA games vs this season's regional field, the Ichabods are 2-1 against No. 1 seed Northwest Missouri, 0-1 against No. 2 seed Northern State, they have never faced No. 4 seed St. Cloud State, No. 5 seed Southern Nazarene, 0-2 vs No. 6 seed Missouri Southern and have not faced No. 7 seed Southeastern Oklahoma State or No. 8 seed Minnesota State.
• The Ichabods have secured their first back-to-back-to-back 20-win seasons since the 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05 seasons this year … the Ichabods were 20-10 in 2016-17 and 22-10 in the 2017-18 season in Brett Ballard's first season on the Washburn bench.
• In program history the Ichabods have had 28, 20-win seasons including this year.
• The Ichabod coaching record for the most wins in their first two seasons is now held by Brett Ballard with 46 wins … Bob Chipman had 41 during the 1979-80 and 1980-81 seasons.
• As of the March 9 report, the Ichabods are playing the fifth-toughest schedule in the NCAA Division II ranks with an opponent winning percentage of .596 … from the MIAA Lindenwood had the second-toughest schedule this season.
• Javion Blake leads the Ichabods in scoring at 19.5 ppg which is fifth in the MIAA rankings … in MIAA games Blake is averaged 20.1 ppg … he passed Will McNeill for third on the Ichabod all-time scoring chart now sits at 1,805 points … McNeill had 1,701 points from 2008-13 … he was named to the MIAA All-Tournament team after scoring 19.3 ppg with 4.6 apg in three games.
• David Salach is averaging 12.5 ppg and 5.5 rpg after scoring a career-high 24 points against Fort Hays State earlier this season … Salach is tied for fourth in the MIAA in blocks at 1.0 per game … Salach enters the NCAA Central Regional with 981 points … with 19 more points he would become the 26th Ichabod to reach 1,000 points as an Ichabod.
• Tyler Geiman is scoring 8.7 ppg as well as dishing out 5.5 assists per game, which is first in the MIAA … Geiman has 169 assists and 49 turnovers this season … he scored a career-high 19 points against Missouri Southern … he is ranked fifth in the nation in assist to turnover ratio … he also recorded his first double double at Washburn against Lindenwood with 15 points, a career-high 10 rebounds while adding seven assists … Geiman was named to the all-MIAA Tournament team after averaging 7.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg and 6.0 apg scoring 17 in the semifinals win over Pittsburg State … Geiman has averaged 4.8 defensive rebounds a game this season which is 18th on the defensive rebound chart since the start of the 1966 season … he is the only guard in the top 22 on the rebounding chart.
• Jalen Lewis is averaging 8.0 ppg off the bench and he is tied for 14th in the MIAA in 3-point field goals made per game with 1.9 … he scored a career-high 20 point against Missouri Southern … he has hit 56 of 137 3-point attempts this season and his 56 3-pointers made this season is an Ichabod freshman chart passing Shannon Kruger's 54 … his 257 points scored this season is 10th on the Ichabod freshman scoring chart.
• Tyas Martin is scoring 7.9 ppg starting all 31 games this season.
• Devyn Wilson is averaging 8.0 ppg off the bench scoring a career-high 19 against Central Missouri with 2.9 rebounds and in MIAA play he averaged 8.1 ppg with 3.1 rpg.
• Sevon Witt is scoring 7.3 ppg overall scoring 7.9 ppg in MIAA play and Will McKee is averaging 6.4 ppg while pulling down a team-high 5.6 rebounds per game.
• Javion Blake has scored 1,805 career points placing third all-time at Washburn after passing Will McNeill with 1,708 points … Blake's 211 career 3-point field goals is third on the all-time chart … he has played 3,675 career minutes which is third at Washburn … Blake also became the sixth Ichabod to score at least 1,000 points and have at least 100 steals (104) … Blake's 382 career free throw makes is fifth all-time at Washburn … Blake has also moved into fourth on the all-time assist chart as an Ichabod with 318 … Blake became the first Ichabod since Will McNeill to score at least 600 points in a season since Will McNeill scored 666 points during the 2011-12 season in 33 games … Blake reached double figures in his 102nd career game against Northwest Missouri last time out playing in 121 career games overall.
• David Salach has 105 career blocks which is second all-time at Washburn.
 
 MIAA Bod numbers
• 82.6 WU is fourth in the MIAA in scoring offense
• 73.6 WU is sixth in the MIAA in scoring defense
• 17.10 WU is leading the MIAA in assists
• 9.0 WU is third in the MIAA in scoring margin
• .475 WU is fourth in the MIAA in field goal percentage
• .431 WU is first in the MIAA in defensive field goal percentage
• +4.5 WU is first in the MIAA in rebounding margin
• 3.32 WU is third in the MIAA in blocks
• 6.06 WU is fourth in the MIAA in steals
• 5.4 / 3.4 to 1 Tyler Geiman is first in the MIAA in assists and fourth in the MIAA in assist to turnover ratio
 
 Single season record stat watch
• 82.6 Points per game this season for the Ichabods is 10th (89.5 - 1994-95)
• 283 3-pointers made this season for the Ichabods is a new Ichabod single season record (271 - 1996-97)
n    733 3-pointers attempted this season for the Ichabods is a new Ichabod single season record (703 - 1996-97)
• .386 3-pointer percentage this season for the Ichabods is 13th (.472 - 1987-88)
• 17.1 Assists per game average this season which is 14th all-time at Washburn (19.8 - 1994-95)
• 136 Assists by Tyler Geiman which is eighth on the single season chart … the Ichabod single season record is 266 by Jordan Canfield set during the 1996-97 season
• 606 total points by Javion Blake which is 10th on the Ichabod single-season chart
• 70 3-pointers this season by Javion Blake which is 8th on the Ichabod single season chart
• 169 assists by Tyler Geiman which is fourth on the Ichabod single-season chart
• 5.5 Assists per game by Tyler Geiman which is fourth on the single season chart behind Jordan Canfield who had 8.1 apg in 1994-95 and 1996-97 and 5.5 in 1993-94
 
 Coaches
Washburn Ichabod head coach Brett Ballard …
• is 46-17 in his second season as the Ichabods' head coach and 78-47 overall in his fourth year as a head coach.
• has led the Ichabods to two NCAA postseason appearances.
• 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 1-1 against Missouri Southern.
 
Missouri Southern head coach Jeff Boschee …
• is in his fifth season as the head coach at Missouri Southern and has gone 99-51.
• served four seasons as an assistant and associate head coach.
• was named the head coach of the Lions on July 1, 2014.
• spent three years at the Barstow School in Kansas City where in 2010 his team went 22-4.
• was the Big 12 Freshman of the Year in 1999-2000 and was a third team All-Big 12 pick his senior season. He helped lead the Jayhawks to a Final Four appearance in 2002 and previously held the conference record for three pointers made in a career with 338.
• holds the Kansas record for three's made in a career and is second all-time in games started.
• is 4-1 against Washburn.
 
 About Missouri Southern
• The Lions are 23-7 overall went 14-5 in the MIAA leading the league in scoring at 86.6 ppg.
• Missouri Southern was a perfect 15-0 in home games this season.
• Cam Martin leads the team in scoring and rebounding at 21.4 ppg and 9.4 rpg and finished third in the MIAA in scoring.
• Elyjah Clark is scoring 15.2 ppg with 6.6 rpg and Kinzer Lambert is scoring 14.8 ppg with 6.6 rpg and Braelon Walker is averaging 10.6 ppg.
 
 Series history with Missouri Southern
• Saturday's meeting will be 81st between these two schools in a series that dates back to 1968-69.
• Washburn leads the all-time series 48-32.
• Washburn is 25-18 in MIAA games against the Lions and 10-14 on the road against MSSU since joining the league in 1989-90.
• The Ichabods snapped an eight-game road losing streak to the Lions on Jan. 15, 2018 in an 86-78 win in Joplin.
• The two teams have met at least once a year since 1976-77.
• The Ichabods are 3-2 against the Lions in the MIAA Tournament.
• In games played in Topeka, the Ichabods are 29-11 overall and 22-8 in games played in Lee Arena.
• The teams have met twice in the NCAA Tournament - on March 10, 2000 when the Lions picked up a 79-73 overtime win in Joplin and on March 12, 2011 when the Lions topped the Ichabods in overtime again 82-79 in Edmond, Okla.
• The 110-73 win by the Lions over the Ichabods in Joplin on Dec. 7, 2013 was the largest defeat suffered by an Ichabod team since joining the NCAA Division II ranks.
 
 Last Meeting with Missouri Southern
Missouri Southern 89, Washburn 86 -- Jan. 23, 2019
JOPLIN, Mo. –Washburn started out cold and had an icy stretch in the second half as they let a 14-point lead slip away after trailing by as many 13 in the first half in an 89-86 loss at Missouri Southern. With Washburn holding a 66-52 lead with 12:25 to go, the Lions would go on a 21 to 7 run over the next 5:38 as MSSU tied the score at 73 with 6:47 to go. Washburn was 2 of 8 during the run and the Lions were 5 of 7 from the field and 9 of 9 from the free throw line. Overall the Lions were 27 of 28 from the free throw line including a 21 of 21 performance in the second half.
A 3-pointer by Devyn Wilson tied the score at 80 with 2:57 remaining, but the Lions answered with a 3 of their own with 2:33 left.  The Ichabods cut the lead to one on three different occasions in the final two minutes, including 87-86 with five seconds to go but the Lions hit another pair of free throws and a 3-pointer from the top of the key by the Ichabods as time expired missed as the Lions picked up the three-point win.
The Ichabods (13-4, 6-2 MIAA) got out to a frigid start from the field missing their first eight shots from the field falling behind 9-0 and eventually 17-4 with 13:40 to go in the frame. But Jalen Lewis entered the game and jump started his own personal 15 to 5 run over the Lions hitting five straight 3-pointers cutting the lead to 22-19 with 10:20 to go.
It was Tyler Geiman's turn next from deep as he broke a 35-all tie with 3:18 to go with back to back treys of his own putting Washburn up 38-37 as the Ichabods would lead by as many as five at 44-39 with under a minute to go before taking a 45-41 advantage into the break.
Lewis led the Ichabods with a career-high 20 points hitting 6 of 8 3-pointers going 7 of 10 overall from the field and Geiman had a career-best 19 hitting 5 of 7 3-pointers. Javion Blake scored 15 and Tyas Martin had 10.
Kinzer Lambert to lead the Lions (15-4, 6-3 MIAA) and Cam Martin had a double double with 20 points and 13 rebounds.
Washburn finished 32 of 70 from the field hitting 13 of 24 3-pointers and was 9 of 12 from the free throw line. The Lions were 26 of 51 overall hitting 10 of 20 3-pointers and missing only one free throw in the game connecting on 27 of 28.
The Lions held a 35 to 30 advantage on the glass and turned the ball over 14 times in the game while the Ichabods only committed six.
 
 Last time out for the Ichabods
#1 Northwest Missouri 82, Washburn 53 -- March 10, 2019
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Washburn Ichabods fell in a rematch of the 2018 MIAA Tournament Championship game in an 82-53 loss to No. 1-ranked Northwest Missouri.
The Ichabods (24-7), who were making their 12th MIAA Tournament Championship game appearance, jumped out to an early 3-0 lead on a 3-pointer by Javion Blake who would go on to lead the Ichabods in scoring with 17 points hitting five shots from behind the arc. Washburn would also lead at 5-4 and 7-4 after back to back layups by David Salach and Tyler Geiman.
Will McKee knotted the score at 9-9 in the first half. With back to back scores by McKee on a dunk and Salach on his sixth-point of the first half bring the Ichabods within three at 24-21 with 7:15 to play in the opening stanza, the Bearcats (32-0) would close the frame on a 15-2 run over the next 6:22 of the half building a 32-23 lead before a dunk before the half by Jace Williams cut the difference to 14 at 39-25.
In the second half, the Ichabods cut the lead to 12 with 17:27 to play on a Salach and another 3-pointer by Blake but a 13-0 burst by the Bearcats pushed the lead to 25 and Washburn did not get within 19 the remainder of the game.
Behind Blake's 17 points, Devyn Wilson scored 10 hitting a pair of 3-pointers as the only two Ichabods in double figures. Geiman had a team-high six rebounds and had four assists. Both Blake and Geiman were named to the MIAA All-Tournament team.
Trevor Hudgins led the Bearcats with a game-high 27 points and Joey Witthus had 25.
Washburn was 21 of 50 from the field hitting seven of 23 3-pointers and was outrebounded 33 to 27 in the game. The Bearcats were 29 of 57 form the field going 14 of 29 on 3-pointers and scored 12 points off 12 Ichabod turnovers.
 
 Ichabods in the NCAA Tournament
• The Ichabods and the Lions have faced each other twice in the NCAA Regional with the Lions winning both meetings in overtime. The first meeting was on March 10, 2000 in Joplin in a 79-73 loss in the second round. The second meeting was on March 12, 2011 in Edmond, Okla., in a second round game in a 82-79 overtime loss.
• The Ichabods are 14-13 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
• Washburn advanced to the 2001 NCAA Championship game falling 72-63 to Kentucky Wesleyan.
• Washburn is 8-8 in neutral site NCAA tournament games.
• The Ichabods are 1-2 in NCAA tournament away games.
• Washburn is 5-3 in NCAA tournament home games.
• The Ichabods are 8-54 in NCAA tournament first round games.
• Washburn is 3-5 in second round NCAA tournament games.
• The Ichabods are 1-2 in NCAA regional tournament games played in Missouri going 0-1 in Maryville and going 1-1 in two games played in Joplin at the 2000 NCAA Central Regional.
• In NCAA games vs this season's regional field, the Ichabods are 2-1 against No. 1 seed Northwest Missouri, 0-1 against No. 2 seed Northern State, they have never faced No. 4 seed St. Cloud State, No. 5 seed Southern Nazarene, 0-2 vs No. 6 seed Missouri Southern and have not faced No. 7 seed Southeastern Oklahoma State or No. 8 seed Minnesota State.
 
 NCAA Central Regional Schedule
Saturday, March 16
Noon: No. 3 Washburn vs. No. 6 Missouri Southern State (Session 1)
2:30 p.m.: No. 2 Northern State vs. No. 7 Southeastern Oklahoma State (Session 1)
 
6 p.m.: No. 1 Northwest Missouri vs. No. 8 Minnesota State, Mankato (Session 2)
8:30 p.m.: No. 4 St. Cloud State vs. No. 5 Southern Nazarene (Session 2)
 
Sunday, March 17
5 p.m.: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
7:30 p.m.: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4
 
Tuesday, March 19
7 p.m.: Regional Championship Game
 
 Ichabod basketball history
• The Ichabods are 1,587-1,075-2 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 606-280 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.
 
 Home sweet home
• The Ichabods are 446-89  (.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
• The winner of the Washburn / Missouri Southern game will face the winner of the No. 4 St. Cloud State vs No. 5 Southern Nazarene on Sunday at 5 p.m.