TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Washburn women's basketball team returns home for a pair of games this week starting with Rogers State on Thursday. First tip in Lee Arena is set for 5:30 p.m.
OPENING TIP
>> Washburn is 6-7 after a tough 74-73 loss at Central Oklahoma last Saturday.
>> Rogers State is coming off a 92-81 defeat against Pittsburg State.
>> The Ichabods look to sweep the season series against the Hillcats as they captured a 76-61 victory at Claremore on Dec. 12, 2020.
>> Washburn is 3-3 at home while Rogers State is 2-4 in road games this season.
>> This will mark the third all-time meeting between these two programs.
WASHBURN NOTES
>> The Ichabods average 62.9 ppg and have a 39.5 field goal percentage on the season.
>> Hunter Bentley is eighth in the MIAA averaging 15.8 ppg to go with a 10th-best 6.5 rpg average.
>> She has been consistent at the free throw line and leads the league with a 92.7 percent mark (51-of-55), which also ranks No. 10 in all of Division II.
>> Nuria Barrientos ranks in the MIAA's top-eight in four different categories.
>> Barrientos is just shy of averaging a double-double with 11.2 ppg and 8.5 rpg (which ranks fourth in the MIAA). She is also fifth in minutes played (34.6 mpg), seventh in blocked shots (18 total), and eighth in assists (3.2).
>> Abby Oliver finished with 12 points for the fifth time this season in Saturday's game at UCO and averages 9.7 ppg and 4.5 rpg.
>> Mackenzie Gamble had a career-day against the Bronchos as she hit 5-of-7 from deep and finished the day 7-of-10 from the field with 19 points. After eight games played, she contributes 6.4 ppg.
>> Macy Doebele chips in 5.7 ppg and 3.9 rpg.
>> Off the bench, Lauren Cassaday adds 3.8 ppg and 4.0 rpg. She pulled down a career-high nine boards at Central Oklahoma.
>> Aubree Dewey has played three games in relief since the Christmas break. In nine total games played this season, she averages 8.0 ppg, 2.9 apg, and 1.3 spg.
BODS AND ENDS
>> The Ichabods have out-rebounded their opponents in the last five games.
>> WU has pulled down 10 or more offensive rebounds in 10 of the 13 games played while their opponents have 10 or more in just four of those games.
>> Washburn is third in the MIAA averaging 38.8 rpg as a team.
>> Bentley continues to move up on the Washburn all-time scorers list and is currently No. 19 with 1, 042 career points. She needs six points to move up one more spot.
>> Washburn scored just one bench point in Saturday's game with four of the starters scoring 12 or more points.
>> The Ichabods had their best shooting day of the season against the Bronchos, shooting 48.0 percent from the floor.
ABOUT THE ROGERS STATE HILLCATS
>> The Hillcats are 4-10 and have lost three of their last four games.
>> They average 67.7 ppg, but allow 75.5 ppg.
>> RSU is third in the MIAA in three-point field goal percentage (33.9%) and free throw percentage (76.7%).
>> The team is also the conference leader in blocked shots with 4.43 per game and 62 total.
>> Samariah Thompson leads the way for the Hillcats as she is fourth in the league with 18.1 ppg and third with 4.7 apg.
>> She is also an 83.7 percent free throw shooter (77-of-92).
>> Bailey Kliewer averages a team-best 5.4 rpg and contributes 7.7 ppg.
>> Shay Stone is a big reason the Hillcats lead the conference in blocks as she averages 1.8 bpg and 22 total.
>> Julie Luna led the Hillcats in scoring against the Gorillas and put up 18 points off the bench.
HEAD COACH KYLE BENT
>> Kyle Bent is in his third season as the head coach of the Hillcats and has a record of 22-48.
>> 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
>> The Ichabods are 2-0 all-time against the Hillcats and won 76-61 at Claremore on Dec. 12, 2020.
>> Thursday's game will mark the first time the Hillcats have played in Lee Arena.
>> Coach McHenry is 2-0 against RSU.
LAST TIME AGAINST ROGERS STATE (DEC. 12, 2020)
CLAREMORE, Okla. – The Washburn offense exploded in the second half with 50 points in Saturday's 76-61 road win at Rogers State. With the victory, the Ichabods improve to 2-3 while the Hillcats fall to 1-4.
It was a game of scoring runs for both teams. Aubree Dewey scored the first two buckets for Washburn and a made free throw by Nuria Barrientos put the Ichabods up 5-0 at the 6:27 mark. Rogers State got on the board with 5:23 on the clock and went on an 8-2 scoring run to take its first lead of the game at 8-7. Macy Doebele hit two free throws to reclaim the Washburn lead and the Ichabods finished out the quarter on a 6-0 scoring run to go up 13-8.
Washburn continued its scoring tear into the second, making 3-of-4 from the field in the first two minutes, and rattle off 12 unanswered points in 4:46. It was the Hillcats' turn to put together a scoring run as they had a 14-0 offensive burst to go in front 22-19 with 4:12 left in the opening half. Hunter Bentley converted on an old-fashioned three-point play to even the score at 22-all and added four more points to keep things close, but Rogers State went into the break with a one point lead, 27-26.
After two quarters, Washburn was shooting just 28.1 percent from the field (9-of-32) while Rogers State was at a 43.5 percent (10-of-23) clip from the floor.
Things quickly changed, though, as it was all Washburn in the third quarter. Abby Oliver made a layup 86 seconds into the second half to spark a 19-2 run and the Ichabods held the Hillcats scoreless until the 4:07 mark. Hannah Willey made a layup as time expired in the third to give Washburn a 55-37 advantage heading into the final frame. The Ichabods outscored the Hillcats, 29-10, and shot 62.5 percent from the field (10-of-16).
The Ichabods held their largest lead of the game after Adyson Narber hit a three-pointer to make the score 60-39 with 8:20 remaining in the contest. The Hillcats got within 10, 68-58, with just over two minutes left in the game but couldn't get any closer as the Ichabods closed out the 15 point victory.
Washburn finished the game with a 43.3 field goal percentage (26-of-60) while Rogers State shot 36.4 percent (20-for-55). Neither team found much success from beyond the arc as the Ichabods were just 2-for-13 from deep and the Hillcats were 4-for-20. Both teams, however, did well at the free throw line with WU going 22-for-27 from the charity stripe and RSU converting on 17 of its 19 attempts. The Ichabods dominated on the boards and out-rebounded the Hillcats, 44-30.
Four Ichabods finished in double-figures led by Bentley who finished with 22 points and had nine rebounds. Doebele had a career-high 14 points and was a perfect 10-for-10 from the charity stripe. Barrientos recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 boards. Oliver tied a career-high with 12 points after shooting 6-for-10 from the field. Dewey also set a personal-best with a team-high eight assists.
Samariah Thompson led the Hillcats with 21 points and went 10-for-11 from the free throw line.
2020-21 MIAA COACHES PRESEASON POLL
>> Heading into the new season, Washburn was tabbed eighth in the MIAA Coaches Preseason Poll and earned 79 total points.
>> Emporia State was voted the conference favorite, earning four first-place votes and 153 total points.
>> Nebraska-Kearney, Central Missouri, Pittsburg State, and Fort Hays State rounded out the top-five.
WASHBURN COACHES
>> McHenry is in his 21st season at Washburn and holds an overall record of 470-159 (278-113 MIAA).
>> His .747 winning percentage ranks 21st among active Division II coaches.
>> Brette (Ulsaker) Herber begins her eighth season on the Ichabod bench as a 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 is in her second 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 951-441-1 (.683) all-time and will commence the 52nd year of the program's history.
>> Washburn is sixth all-time in Division II in victories.
>> 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.
TAKE A LOOK AHEAD
>> Washburn closes out the week against Northeastern State on Saturday at 1 p.m.
