TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Ichabods return to Lee Arena for one more game before Christmas break with a Saturday afternoon contest against Rogers State. Tip-off in Lee Arena is slated for 4 p.m.
GAME INFORMATION
Washburn (2-7, 1-3 MIAA) vs. Rogers State (4-6, 0-4 MIAA)
Saturday, Dec. 18 | 4 p.m. | Topeka, Kan. | Lee Arena
Tickets: Online only
Watch: MIAA Network
Radio: 106.9 FM
Live stats: wusports.com/sidearmstats/wbball
OPENING TIP
>> The Ichabods snapped a six-game losing streak and picked up their first conference win last Saturday with a 51-40 road victory at Newman. WU is now 2-7 (1-3 MIAA) on the season.
>> The Hillcats are looking for their first conference win and have lost four in a row to hold a record of 4-6 (0-4 MIAA).
>> This will be the fourth all-time meeting between the two programs with Washburn holding a 2-1 series lead.
>> Rogers State won the last matchup against Washburn, 53-50, in Lee Arena on Feb. 4, 2021.
>> WU is looking for its first win inside Lee Arena this season and currently holds an 0-5 home mark.
>> RSU is 1-2 in true road games this season.
>> After Saturday's game, Washburn has one final game in 2021, hosting Bethany College on Dec. 29.
WASHBURN NOTES
>> The Ichabods average 54.8 ppg and have a 38.0 field goal percentage.
>> Washburn has outrebounded its opponents in five of the nine games so far this season.
>> The Ichabods have made 40.0 percent or higher from beyond the arc in back-to-back games and finished with their highest mark of the season with 45.5 percent at Newman, making 5-of-11 attempts from deep.
>> Washburn has made five or more triples in five games.
>> Hunter Bentley leads Washburn in scoring with 11.8 ppg along and 3.8 rpg. She has led or tied for the lead for the Ichabods in scoring in the last five games and drained four three-pointers at Newman en route to 19 points.
>> Mackenzie Gamble averages 6.8 ppg and has hit a team-high 16 three-pointers.
>> Abby Oliver contributes 6.4 ppg and 4.6 rpg...she tied a career-high four assists at Newman last week. The last time she had four assists was also against Newman.
>> Nuria Barrientos has started the last two games and is averaging 6.0 ppg to go with a team-high 5.1 rpg. She also recorded the first double-double for Washburn this season with 10 points and 10 rebounds against the Jets.
>> Off the bench, Shae Sanchez is averaging 5.6 ppg. She added six points and three rebounds in the win at Newman.
>> Lauren Cassaday holds a 51.4 shooting percentage and 18 of her 40 rebounds have been offensive boards.
>> Aubree Dewey leads the team with 21 assists.
DEFENSIVE EFFORT
>> Washburn has held its opponents to 60.1 ppg and a 38.0 field goal percentage, ranking fourth in the MIAA in both.
>> Washburn's 4.0 blocks per game is the third-best in the league. The Ichabods have blocked four or more shots in six of their games so far this season.
>> Barrientos and Oliver have made 12 blocks apiece to lead the team.
MILESTONE TRACKER
>> Bentley is four points away from moving up to No. 11 all-time on Washburn's scorers list with 1,311 career points.
>> Cassaday is 29 points away from 200 career points as an Ichabods.
>> Oliver and Doebele are nearing the 200 mark in rebounds. Oliver needs 26 and Doebele needs 35.
LAST TIME OUT
WICHITA, Kan. – The Washburn women's basketball team win their first conference game at Newman, 51-40 on Saturday afternoon.
Washburn (2-7, 1-3 MIAA) quickly got things started with back-to-back shots made from Abby Oliver and a triple from Hunter Bentley. The Ichabods led 7-3 before getting into foul trouble. The Jets made four free throws to tie the game. Bentley later would hit back-to-back triples to give Washburn the 15-11 lead. A Laura Bello last-second layup tied it again heading into the second quarter.
Once again Oliver got the Ichabods started in the second to take the 17-15 lead. The Ichabods would not score again in the quarter until the 1:37 mark. It took the Jets almost three minutes before they made a free throw to draw within one then eventually take the 22-17 lead over Washburn. Sanchez ended the Ichabods' drought with a three. The Jets hit a three of their own to end the half to head into the break with the 25-22 lead.
In the third, Washburn got off to a hot start with a 12-2 run. Nuria Barrientos had six points in that span. Oliver scored and Bentley hit her fourth triple to go into the final frame with a 39-31 lead.
The Ichabods kept that momentum going as they took a double-digit lead four minutes into the fourth quarter. Washburn would hold onto that lead for the rest of the game.
Washburn had a 41.7 field goal percentage on the afternoon while Newman shot 37.5 percent. The Ichabods made 6-of-8 free throws despite not taking a one in the first half. A difference in the game was Washburn outrebounded the Jets 32 to 25 and their third-quarter play.
Bentley scored 19 points, shooting 6-for-15 from the floor with four three-pointers. Barrientos earned her first double-double of the season. She scored 10 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Oliver contributed to all facets of the game. She scored 12 points on 6-of-11 shooting and grabbed five rebounds, distributed four assists, stole the ball twice, and blocked three shots.
Britney Ho led the Jets with 12 points. She was the only Newman player to have over 10 points.
ABOUT THE ROGERS STATE HILLCATS
>> The Hillcats went 6-16 during the conference-only 2020-21 season and were picked 12th in this season's MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll.
>> Although the Hillcats lost their leading scorer Samariah Thompson from last season, nine players returned to this year's squad.
>> Bailey Kliewer has stepped into the leadership role for RSU as she averages 15.0 ppg and 6.0 rpg.
>> Jordan Lewis adds 11.7 ppg to go with 5.1 rpg.
>> Three-point specialist Katrina Christian has made a third of her attempts from behind the arc and leads the team with 13 triples.
>> Returning top-rebounder Vanessa Gajdosova averages 4.2 rpg and 8.5 ppg. She also leads the team with 3.9 apg.
HEAD COACH KYLE BENT
>> Kyle Bent is in his fourth season as the head coach of the Hillcats and has a record of 28-60.
>> Prior to joining Rogers State's program, he spent four seasons at the Martin Methodist College where he became the winningest coach in school history with a record of 95-38 and four-straight NAIA National Tournament appearances.
>> He was also the head coach at Danville Area Community College for four seasons.
>> Bent earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in sport management from the University of Illinois.
SERIES WITH ROGERS STATE
>> This will be the fourth all-time meeting between these teams and Washburn leads the series, 2-1.
>> The Hillcats captured their first victory against the Ichabods last time out on Feb. 4, 2021 with a 53-50 decision in Lee Arena.
>> After that last victory, Rogers State is now 1-0 when playing Washburn on its home court.
>> Coach McHenry is 2-1 against RSU.
LAST MEETING WITH ROGERS STATE
Rogers State 53, Washburn 50 -- Feb. 4, 2021
TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn women's basketball team went in front with 29 seconds left in regulation after trailing by as many as 14 points in the second half, but couldn't complete the comeback as Rogers State hit four-straight free throws to hold on for the 53-50 victory on Thursday night.
The Ichabods (6-8) got out to a 6-2 start and then put together another 6-0 run to go up 12-4 at the 3:02 mark. The Hillcats (5-10) responded with six-straight points of their own to close out the frame and trim down the deficit to 12-10.
Rogers State shot the lights out in the second quarter, making 8-of-10 from the field and all three attempts from deep en route to outscoring Washburn 23-10 in the frame. A made layup by RSU just before the buzzer sent the Hillcats to the locker room in front, 33-22.
A made three-pointer gave the Hillcats their largest lead of the game at 40-26 with 7:19 on the clock in the third. The Washburn defense held Rogers State scoreless for the final 4:44 of the third period and slowly chipped away by scoring five unanswered points to make it 42-35.
With just over three minutes left in regulation, Washburn started its offensive charge. A jump shot by Mackenzie Gamble got the Ichabods within four, 47-43, and ignited a 9-2 run. Hunter Bentley drained a three-pointer with 29 seconds left to give Washburn its first lead since the 5:33 mark in the second quarter.
The Hillcats were able to draw a foul on the next possession and made both free throws to retake the lead at 51-50 with 22 seconds on the clock. A missed Washburn jumper gave Rogers State the ball with 10 seconds left and the Hillcats added two more free throws to hold on for the win.
Rogers State out shot Washburn and finished with a 41.2 field goal percentage while the Ichabods made 34.6 percent. Both teams made four three-pointers. For the sixth-straight game, Washburn outrebounded its opponent and grabbed 38 rebounds to RSU's 29. The Hillcats capitalized on the Ichabods' 20 turnovers and turned that into 27 points.
Bentley led all scorers with 14 points and pulled down six boards. Nuria Barrientos recorded her sixth double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Macy Doebele made 3-of-4 from the field and finished the night with nine points.
Rogers State was paced by Vanessa Gajdosova, who had 12 points and five rebounds.
WASHBURN COACHES
>> McHenry is in his 22nd season at Washburn and holds an overall record of 477-170 (284-120 MIAA).
>> Brette (Ulsaker) Herber begins her ninth season on the Ichabod bench as an assistant coach. Herber played for McHenry for three seasons (2007-10) and was named the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year as a senior.
>> Erika (Lane) Yoder starts her third season as an assistant coach for Washburn. She also played for McHenry from 2014 to 2017 and was a two-time all-MIAA selection.
WASHBURN HISTORY
>> Washburn women's basketball is 959-452-1 (.683) all-time and will commence the 53rd year of the program's history.
>> Washburn claimed the 2005 NCAA National Championship over Seattle Pacific with a 70-53 win to cap off a 35-2 season.
>> Washburn has made 17 NCAA Tournament appearances and is 26-16 all-time in those postseason games.
>> The program has won 18 total MIAA Championships, earning nine regular season conference titles and winning nine MIAA Tournament championships.
>> There have been 30 All-American awards given to Washburn players, with 11 of those coming from the WBCA.
>> Washburn has finished 14 seasons with 25 wins and four seasons with 30 victories.
NEXT UP
>> The Ichabods remain at home after Christmas and play their final non-conference game of the season on Dec. 29 against Bethany College.
