TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Washburn women's basketball team will make its first conference road trip of the season as the Ichabods take on Central Oklahoma on Thursday evening in Edmond.
OPENING TIP
>> The Ichabods are 1-6 (0-2 MIAA) on the season and are looking to snap a five-game losing streak after falling to No. 21 Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday.
>> The Bronchos hold a record of 5-3 and split the conference-opening week, falling to Missouri Southern, 81-74, before rolling to a 96-76 victory at Pittsburg State.
>> The Ichabods and Bronchos split the regular season series last year. Washburn defeated UCO at home 80-70 on Dec. 3, 2020, before dropping a close 74-73 contest in Edmond.
>> The Ichabods haven't played a road game since the season-opening weekend on Nov. 12-13.
>> Central Oklahoma has played just two games at home so far and has one both.
>> The Bronchos were selected fifth in the MIAA Coaches Preseason Poll and the Ichabods were picked sixth.
>> The Ichabods have one final non-conference game this season on Dec. 29 when Washburn hosts Bethany College.
WASHBURN NOTES
>> The Ichabods average 54.9 ppg and have a 37.8 field goal percentage.
>> Washburn has outscored its opponents 104-88 in the first quarter.
>> The Ichabods have not had a player score double-digits in the last two games.
>> Hunter Bentley leads the Washburn scorers with 10.1 ppg to go with 3.7 rpg. She had nine points in both games last week.
>> Mackenzie Gamble averages 7.4 ppg and has had at least one three-pointer in every game so far this season. She leads the team with 13 triples.
>> Macy Doebele is shooting 43.2 percent from the field and contributes 7.0 ppg and 4.5 rpg.
>> In the post, Abby Oliver averages 6.1 ppg and 4.7 rpg.
>> Shae Sanchez has tallied 39 points and 17 boards on the year.
>> Nuria Barrientos contributes 5.6 ppg and 4.1 rpg. She had seven points and five boards against the Lopers.
>> Aubree Dewey leads the team with 17 assists.
MILESTONE TRACKER
>> Bentley needs 28 more points to hit 1,300 in her career and is also 39 away from moving up to No. 11 all-time on Washburn's scorers list.
>> Nuria Barrientos is seven points away from collecting 300 in her time as an Ichabod.
>> Oliver is nearing the 200 mark in rebounds, needing 34 more.
>> Gamble is five points away from 200 career points.
LAST TIME OUT
TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn women's basketball team held No. 21 Nebraska-Kearney to 23 points below its scoring average, but the Ichabods came up just short on Saturday afternoon in the 49-43 loss.
Both teams got off to a hot start and made each of their first three shot attempts without a miss. The Lopers (7-1, 2-0 MIAA) put together an 8-2 scoring run and ended the opening period up, 16-11.
Nebraska-Kearney drained a three-pointer to make it 19-11 at the start of the second quarter when Washburn started to slowly trim down the deficit. Trailing 24-20, a layup from Mackenzie Gamble started a 7-2 Washburn (1-6, 0-2 MIAA) scoring run over the final 2:14 of the first half to send the Ichabods into the break in front, 27-26.
It was back-and-forth scoring in the third quarter with three lead changes and two tie scores at 28 and 34. The Lopers closed out the quarter with five unanswered points all scored by Haley Simental to lead 36-34 heading into the final stanza.
Lauren Cassaday made a layup and Hunter Bentley added a free throw to give the Ichabods a 37-36 advantage while the Washburn defense held Nebraska-Kearney scoreless until 5:37 on the clock. The Lopers found their groove and reclaimed the lead with an 8-1 run to make it a 44-38 game. Washburn pulled within three points, 44-41, with 31 seconds left in regulation, but that would be as close as it got as Nebraska-Kearney closed out the game 5-for-6 at the charity stripe.
Washburn finished the game shooting 37.0 percent from the field while Nebraska-Kearney shot slightly less at 35.4 percent. The Lopers held a slight edge in rebounds, 36-30, forced 12 turnovers and turned that into 13 points.
Bentley had a team-high nine points and grabbed five rebounds. Gamble and Nuria Barrientos both chipped in seven points.
For the Lopers, Simental played all 40 minutes and led all scorers with 14 points.
ABOUT THE CENTRAL OKLAHOMA BRONCHOS
>> The Bronchos went 14-9 in the conference-only 2020-21 season and fell in the MIAA Tournament quarterfinal game as the No. 5 seed to Emporia State, 82-80.
>> UCO is 5-3 to start the new season and average 73.4 points per game with a 42.7 field goal percentage.
>> Central Oklahoma is led by Kelsey Johnson, who has already won the MIAA Player of the Week twice this season as she averages a double-double with 19.8 ppg and 11.3 rpg. She also has made eight blocks.
>> Alayzha Knapp also contributes double-figures with an even 10.0 ppg and has 4.1 rpg.
>> Three-point shooter Karly Wadsworth is 45.9 percent from behind the arc and averages 8.1 ppg.
>> Avery Allen has dished out a team-high 31 assists and has made 11 steals.
HEAD COACH GUY HARDAKER
>> Guy Hardaker is in his 16th season coaching at his alma mater and has an overall record of 281-158 during his tenure.
>> He has led UCO to five NCAA Tournament appearances, including trips to the Sweet 16 in 2009 and 2011.
>> He was named the Lone Star Conference North Division Coach of the Year for the 2008-09 season.
>> Prior to joining the UCO coaching staff, he coached at the high school level for 19 years.
>> In addition to coaching both boys and girls basketball teams, he also coached golf.
>> Hardaker is 8-10 against Washburn.
SERIES WITH CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
>> Washburn holds an 12-9 series advantage.
>> The Ichabods are 4-4 when playing in Edmond.
>> Coach McHenry is 11-9 against UCO.
LAST MEETING WITH CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
Central Oklahoma 74, Washburn 73 -- Jan. 30, 2021
EDMOND, Okla. -- Washburn and Central Oklahoma squared off Saturday afternoon in a close contest that saw 10 lead changes with neither team leading by more than seven points at any part in the game. The home team Central Oklahoma came out on top, though, by the score of 74-73 as the Ichabods' half court buzzer beater attempt hit the back of the rim and bounced off to the side.
UCO is now 9-4 on the season while WU is 6-7.
The Bronchos led 9-4 at the 7:28 mark in the opening quarter, but the Ichabods responded with a 7-0 run and made 3-for-3 from the field. Both teams traded buckets and evened the score at 11, 14, and ended the quarter tied at 16.
Abby Oliver broke the tie early in the second quarter with a layup, but a three-pointer by the Bronchos gave them a 19-18 lead. Hunter Bentley made a free throw to start a 5-0 mini run and give Washburn a 23-19 advantage. A pair of made free throws by UCO knotted up the score at 28-all, but Washburn closed out the half with four-straight points to lead 32-28.
The three-ball started falling for the Bronchos in the third as they chipped away at the deficit. They made 4-of-4 from deep in just under four minutes and took a 44-42 lead with 1:40 on the clock and entered the fourth quarter in front, 47-45.
Mackenzie Gamble drained a three-pointer to start the fourth frame and give Washburn a one point lead. She hit another triple 47 seconds later to even the score at 51 at the 7:58 mark. Central Oklahoma put together a 10-4 run and made 8-of-8 from the free throw line during that run and led by six, 61-55, with 5:44 left in regulation. The Ichabods fought back and tied up the game at 65 and 67 before taking a 69-67 advantage after a pair of free throws by Hunter Bentley with one minute on the clock.
With 39 seconds to go, the Bronchos buried a three to go back in front and did not give up the lead again. Washburn got within one point twice with free throws from Bentley and then Nuria Barrientos made a pair from the charity stripe, but the Ichabods' half court heave didn't fall.
The Ichabods shot the ball well and had a field goal percentage above 40.0 in every quarter and ended the afternoon making 24-of-50 for 48.0 percent. Central Oklahoma was 23-of-56 for a 41.1 field goal percentage. Washburn was 6-for-15 from behind the three-point line while Central Oklahoma made 8-of-17 from deep. Washburn held a slight edge on the boards, 34-31.
Four Ichabods finished in double-digits led by Bentley with 24 points, making 13-of-14 from the charity stripe. Mackenzie Gamble found her groove behind the arc and was 5-of-7 from deep and finished with a career-high 19 points. Barrientos had 13 points and Oliver chipped in 12. Lauren Cassaday grabbed nine rebounds.
The Bronchos were led by Kelsey Johnson who had 24 points and eight boards.
WASHBURN COACHES
>> McHenry is in his 22nd season at Washburn and holds an overall record of 476-169 (283-119 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 958-451-1 (.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 wrap up their road trip this week at Newman on Saturday. Tip-off in Wichita is set for 1:30 p.m.
