•The No. 15 (NABC)/No. 13 (D2SIDA) Washburn Ichabods are back in action on Saturday hosting the No. 3 (NABC)/No. 1 (D2SIDA) Northwest Missouri State Bearcats at 3 p.m. in Lee Arena.
•Washburn will then entertain Northeastern State on Feb. 23 and then wrap up the last weekend of action at Missouri Southern before finishing the regular season with Emporia State on Feb. 27.
•The Ichabods (14-4, 14-4 MIAA) had their three-game winning streak snapped on Thursday falling to Missouri Western 81-77 in Lee Arena.
•The Bearcats (18-1, 18-1 MIAA) have won their last 13 games in a row since suffering their only loss of the season in an 84-82 overtime loss to the Ichabods on Jan. 7 in Maryville. The Bearcats swatted Emporia State on Thursday 69-62 in Emporia.
•The Ichabods lead the all-time series 61-48, snapping an 11-game slide with the Bearcats in their last meeting … the win by the Ichabods also snapped the Bearcats' 28-game winning streak, 35-game home-court winning streak and their 25-game MIAA winning streak.
•The Bearcats have won 17 consecutive road games ranking as the longest active streak among all NCAA divisions.
•The Ichabods are the No. 1 scoring offense in the MIAA at 82.1 ppg while the Bearcats are the No. 1 scoring defense allowing 65.3 ppg.
•Northwest Missouri is fourth in the league in scoring offense at 79.6 ppg and Washburn is fourth in the league in scoring defense allowing 72.1 ppg.
•The Ichabods are ranked first in the league in opponents field goal percentage at 43 percent while the Bearcats are the league-leaders in shooting percentage at 52 percent per game.
•The Ichabods and Bearcats ranks first and second in the MIAA in 3-point field goal percentage with Northwest hitting 42 percent (200 of 476) while the Ichabods are second at 41 percent (203 of 494).
•The 2020-21 season marks the 116th season of Ichabod basketball.
  •Tyler Geiman leads the team in scoring (21.9 ppg - 3rd in the MIAA), assists (6.2 apg - 1st in the MIAA and is 3rd in the NCAA), rebounds (6.6 rpg - 10th in the MIAA), steals (1.8 spg - 4th in the MIAA) and minutes (36.4 mpg - 2nd in the MIAA) … he also ranks eighth in the MIAA in field goal percentage (.532).
•Jalen Lewis is averaging 12.3 ppg hitting 45 of 88 3-point attempts this season (51.1 percent) … he is fifth in the MIAA in 3-pointers per game at 2.5 and third in percentage.
•Jonny Clausing returned to action at Central Missouri after missing the previous seven games with an injury …he is scoring 9.6 ppg with 4.0 rpg and 1.1 bkpg.
•Levi Braun is averaging 9.0 ppg this season … 49 of his 52 field goals this season have been from 3 and he has attempted only six shots inside the 3-point line … he is fourth in MIAA in 3-pointers per game at 2.7 and first in 3-point field goal percentage hitting 49 of 91 attempts (.538) … Braun's 49 3-pointers is fourth on the Ichabod freshman chart and his 91 attempts are fifth … the Ichabod freshman 3-point record is 58 set by Jalen Lewis during the 2018-19 season.
•Tyler Nelson is scoring 9.6 ppg averaging 11.4 points a game in the last nine since moving into a starting role reaching double figures in four-straight games.
•Jace Williams is averaging 6.1 ppg with 4.6 rpg recording 16 blocks tallying his first career double double at Washburn with 10 points and 10 rebounds against Rogers State.
•Rathen Carter is scoring 5.5 ppg with 2.9 rpg.
•Connor Deffebaugh is scoring 5.1 ppg with 2.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.
•Will McKee is scoring 3.3 ppg with 4.4 rpg.
•Tyler Geiman became the 26th member of Washburn's 1,000-point club at Missouri Western … his career total is 1,224 in 106 career games, which is 14th all-time on the Ichabod chart … next on the scoring chart is Brady Skeens who scored 1,229 points sitting 13th.
•Jalen Lewis is currently 36th on the Ichabod all-time scoring chart with 875 points.
•Tyler Geiman became the first Ichabod to have at least 1,000 points, 500 assists, 500 rebounds and 100 steals going over that mark against Missouri Western … he will became the 12th Ichabod to reach at least 1,000 points and 500 rebounds … he was the seventh Ichabod to reach at least 1,000 points and 100 steals … he was also the 10th Ichabod to reach at least 1,000 points and 200 assists and now the first Ichabod to reach at least 1,000 points and 500 assists in a career.
•Washburn is 58 of 86 from the free throw line in the last five minutes of games (67 percent) compared to its opponents connecting on 79 of 111 attempts (71 percent).
•The 2020-21 Washburn Ichabod basketball season will be one for the record books as the 22-game schedule will consist of only games against MIAA opponents as regional crossovers and non-conference matchups have been scrapped thanks to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. •The Ichabods and Bearcats will have MIAA leaders and some top-ranked individuals on the court on Saturday. Below is a comparison of Washburn's Tyler Geiman with Northwest Missouri's Ryan Hawkins and Trevor Hudgins and their rank on the MIAA top 20 charts.
Name             PPG         RPG         SPG        APG       FG%     3FGPG      Min
Tyler Geiman     21.1 (3rd)     6.5 (10th)      1.8 (4th)      6.2 (1st)    .524 (8th)  2.2 (12th)   36.4 (2nd)
Ryan Hawkins   21.9 (2nd)      8.6 (5th)        1.7 (6th)    2.0 (24th)   .534 (7th)   2.8 (3rd)    36.0 (3rd)
Trevor Hudgins  19.3 (4th)           NR            1.5 (13th)     5.1 (3rd)    .538 (6th)   3.0 (2nd)    37.6 (1st) WASHBURN ICHABOD HEAD COACH BRETT BALLARD
•is 76-35 in his fourth season as the Ichabods' head coach and 109-65 overall in his seventh 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 1-7 against Northwest Missouri.
 
NORTHWEST MISSOURI HEAD COACH BEN MCCOLLUM
•is 289-77 in his 12th season as the Bearcats' head coach.
•he is a 2003 graduate of Northwest Missouri.
•named the 20th head coach in Bearcat history.
•played for Northwest going 51-12 in two seasons including a 29-3 mark during a run to the NCAA Elite Eight during the 2001-02 season.
•is 16-7 against the Ichabods.
 
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE ICHABODS
MISSOURI WESTERN 81 (11-8, 11-8 MIAA)
No. 15 WASHBURN 77 (14-4, 14-4 MIAA)
TOPEKA, Kan. – A frantic comeback attempt after trailing by as many as 18 in the first half cutting the deficit to three with under a minute to play came up short as the No. 15 Washburn Ichabods fell to Missouri Western 81-77 on Thursday night in Lee Arena.
The Ichabods (14-4, 14-4 MIAA) fell behind 19-4 7:21 into the game after starting 2 of 14 from the field while the Griffons hit 8 of their first 16 shots including 3 of 7 from deep. Washburn trailed 36-20 before the Ichabods went on a 12-0 run cutting the margin back to four at 36-32 to play in the opening half as Tyler Geiman has seven points during the run. The Griffons (11-8, 11-8 MIAA) scored the final three points of the frame taking the 39-32 lead into the break.
Missouri Western scored the first eight points of the second half pushing their lead to 15 and would lead by as many as 18 at 59-41 with 11:17 to go. After a Griffon bucket with 2:41 remaining stretching their lead back to 10 at 74-64, the Ichabods used an 8-1 run trimming the lead to three at 75-72 to go before a 3-pointer by Western doubled the lead back to six. After a free throw by the Griffons, Jalen Lewis connected on a 3-pointer trimming the lead back to four at 79-75 but the Griffons hit three free throws leading by six with five seconds left before a layup by Tyler Nelson cut the final margin to four at 81-77.
Geiman led all scorers with 24 points while dishing out six assists with five rebounds – giving him 500 for his career becoming the first Ichabod to have at least 1,000 points, 500 assists, 500 rebounds and 100 steals in a career. Lewis finished with 15 points and Nelson had 11.
Tyrell Carroll had 20 to lead the Griffons.
Washburn finished the game at 43 percent shooting (27 of 63) going 8 of 21 from 3-point range while the Griffons were at 48 percent (28 of 59) hitting 11 of 21 3-pointers. The Griffons outrebounded the Ichabods 41 to 37 turning 14 offensive rebounds into 13 second chance points. 
  •The Bearcats are 18-1 this season and have won their last 13 games in a row after suffering their only loss of the year to Washburn in an 84-82 overtime win on Jan. 7 in Maryville.
•Ryan Hawkins leads the team in scoring at 21.9 ppg with 8.6 rpg and 2.0 spg.
•Trevor Hudgins is scoring 19.3 ppg with 51 apg and Diego Bernard is scoring 11.6 ppg with 6.1 rpg and 3.6 apg.
•The Bearcats are scoring 79.6 ppg while allowing 65.3 ppg.
•Northwest has won 17 consecutive road games, which ranks tied for the longest active streak among all NCAA divisions.
•Northwest has won 33 of its last 34 road games. Northwest has gone 47-4 over the last four-plus seasons on the road in the MIAA. •Saturday's meeting will be the 110th between the two schools and Washburn holds a 61-48 lead in the series.
•The Bearcats have won 13 of the last 15 meetings.
•The series dates back to the 1940-41 season and they have played each other every year since WU joined the MIAA in 1989-90.
•The Ichabods are 21-13 against the Bearcats in Lee Arena.
•Washburn is 24-24 in Maryville and the Ichabods are 32-24 in MIAA contests.
•In the MIAA Tournament, the Ichabods are 3-7 against Northwest after falling in the 2018 and 2019 MIAA Championship games.
•In the NCAA Tournament, the Ichabods are 2-1 against the Bearcats after winning in the first round of the NCAA tournament in 2012 in Wichita Falls.
•The Ichabods won a regional final contest against the Bearcats in Topeka on March 10, 2001 advancing to the Elite Eight in Bakersfield, Calif., after a 67-61 win.
  Jan. 7, 2021 -- MARYVILLE, Mo. – The No. 5-ranked Washburn Ichabods remained undefeated with an 84-82 overtime win over the No. 1-ranked Northwest Missouri Bearcats snapping the host squad's 28-game winning streak on Thursday night in Bearcat Arena. It was the first win by an Ichabod team over the No. 1-ranked team since Nov. 16, 2015 when the Ichabods topped Augustana in Las Vegas 86-84 in overtime.
The Washburn victory snapped Northwest's 28-game win streak, 35-game home-court win streak and 25-game MIAA win streak. It was Washburn's first win against Northwest in the last 12 matchups between the two teams.
With Northwest Missouri leading 82-79 in overtime with 2:38 to play in the overtime period, the Ichabods scored the final seven points of the game with Rathen Carter scoring four and Tyler Geiman scoring three.
At the end of regulation, the Ichabods led 73-69 after Geiman hit a pair of free throws with eight seconds to play. The Bearcats hit one of two free throws cutting the lead to 73-71 with three seconds to play. After Washburn hit one of two free throws pushing the lead to three at 74-71, Northwest Trevor Hudgins was fouled with 0.1 seconds to play and hit all three tying the score at 74 sending the game to overtime.
Washburn (8-0, 8-0 MIAA) was led by Geiman's game-high 26 points while adding five assists and five rebounds. Jonny Clausing had 21 points with seven rebounds going 10 of 13 from the field. Rathen Carter, making his first start of the season, had 12 points with four rebounds.
Northwest (5-1, 5-1 MIAA) was led by Wes Dreamer who scored 24 points hitting 6 of 12 3-pointers.
Washburn shot 57 percent for the game hitting 32 of 56 shots after shooting a blistering 68 percent in the second half going 17 of 25. Northwest was 24 of 57 from the field hitting 12 of 31 3-point attempts. From the free throw line the Ichabods were 13 of 20 compared to 22 of 34 from the charity stripe for the Bearcats.
The Bearcats held a 35 to 32 advantage on the boards collecting 11 offensive rebounds. Washburn outscored the Bearcats 48 to 24 in the paint and 12 to 2 in bench points.
  •The Ichabods are 1615-1094-2 all-time in the 116th 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 634-291 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 462-94 (.848) all-time in Lee Arena.
•The 2020-21 season marks the 37th season of play in Lee Arena.
•The Ichabods are 36-1 all-time in home openers.
•The Ichabods recorded a school-best 28-game winning streak from Nov. 19, 1993 to Feb. 8, 1995 in Lee Arena.
  •Washburn will entertain Northeastern State on Feb. 23 and then wrap up the last weekend of action at Missouri Southern before finishing the regular season with Emporia State on Feb. 27.