TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn women's basketball continues its home stretch to begin the season hosting a weekend classic for a second straight weekend. This week they play host to Southern Nazarene University on Friday evening at 6 p.m. before finishing up the Washburn Classic with Rockhurst University at 3 p.m. Saturday. 

OPENING TIP

• The 2022-23 season continues with a second straight home tournament, this time the Washburn Classic.
• The Ichabods will take on Southern Nazarene University on Friday at 6 p.m. before facing off with Rockhurst University on Saturday at 3 p.m. Pittsburg State will also participate over the weekend, playing against the remaining two visiting teams each day.
• Washburn began this season against Southwest Oklahoma State University and Oklahoma Baptist in the Washburn Crossover Classic and went 1-1.
• The Ichabods' 2021-22 season came to an end in the second round of the MIAA Tournament, finishing with an overall record of 14-16.
• Washburn returns nine from last year's team, four of whom started more than 50% of games in 2021-22.
• The Ichabods add five freshmen from the prep ranks to the 2022-23 roster.
• This season marks the first season before 2006-07 that Washburn has not had a newcomer in the form of a transfer student-athlete.

GAME INFORMATION

• Friday, Nov. 18 - 6 p.m. | Saturday, Nov. 19 - 3 p.m.
• Lee Arena -Topeka, Kan.
• Tickets can be purchased online.
• In addition to Washburn's games, Pittsburg State will play Rockhurst on Friday at 4 p.m. and then Southern Nazarene on Saturday at 1 p.m. in Lee Arena.
• For fans not able to make the trip to Topeka, live stats will be available and every game will be live streamed on TheMIAAnetwork.com, where a single game or season package can be purchased.

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME

• The 2022-23 season marks the 39th season of play in Lee Arena as the facility opened in the 1983-84 season.
• Washburn is 440-116 all-time in Lee Arena.
• The Ichabods went 8-7 at home last season.

HOME CLASSICS

• Washburn went 0-2 at last year's home classic, then named the Washburn Thanksgiving Classic.
• The Ichabods lost to Winona State University 56-45 and to Rockhurst 71-69. Northwest Missouri State rounded out the quartet of teams at the event.

WASHBURN BY THE NUMBERS

• Washburn started out the season with a win for the first time since the 2017-18 season.
• Seventy-one points scored in the season opener is the most scored in the seasons first game since 2017-18 against Minnesota State University - Mankato.
• Washburn is averaging 56 points per game so far in 2022 and are surrendering just 49 points per game.
• The Ichabods are holding opponents to just 34.9% shooting overall this year
• Washburn is controlling the rebounding battle this season, averaging 37.5 a game and allowing only 31.
• The Ichabods have outscored teams 38-16 in the second quarter this year. Washburn has won five of eight quarters overall
• From deep, the Ichabods are shooting 34.9% on 21.5 attempts per game, last year Washburn averaged 15.2 attempts and connected at a 29.8% clip.
• As a team last year, the Ichabods averaged 60.0 points per game and shot 41.0 percent from the floor and 29.8 percent from three-point range.
• The Ichabods are forcing teams into 18.5 turnovers per game and allowing only 8.5 assists
• Washburn hit at least one three-pointer in every game last season and both games this season, giving them a three in 46-consecutive games going back to Jan. 16, 2021.
• The 14 player roster is Washburn's smallest roster since the 2015-16 season when there was also 14.

RETURNING AND RISING

• Junior Mackenzie Gamble is off to a hot start and has improved her averages across the board, in points (14 ppg up from 4.5), rebounds (2.5 up from 1.9), steals (2 per game, up from .46) ... she has also raised her field goal percentage up to 52.9% from 29.5% last year and has knocked down eight of her first 14 three point attempts.
• Junior Aubree Dewey has started both games with improved numbers from a season ago, in her junior year her scoring is up to 7.0 ppg from 3.4 ppg, rebounding has doubled (4 rpg from 2 rpg), and she has more than doubled her assist average (4 apg up from 1.6) ... is also averaging 1.5 steals per game on the year
• Macy Doebele has started her senior season with improved efficiency while maintaining averages from last season ... so far in 2022 she is averaging 7.5 points on 85.7% shooting, up from 45.5% a season ago ... she has also increased her rebounding (6.5 rpg up from 5.0) and assist numbers (2.5 apg up from 1.4).
• Coming off the bench, junior Lauren Cassaday is doing all of the little things ... she leads the Ichabods with 7.5 rpg, up from 3.4 a season ago ... she also pulls down 1.5 offensive boards per game and is averaging 1.5 assists per contest, both up from a season ago.
• Starting at center, senior Emma Chapman has already had career bests in several categories ... against Oklahoma Baptist she set new career highs in points (10) and rebounds (7) ... she has increased production across the board, in points (6 ppg up from 1.2), rebounding (5 rpg up from .8), while raising her field goal percentage to 45.5%
• Junior Lakyn Schieferecke and sophomore Jaden Newfarmer both have set single game highs for rebounds and assists in limited minutes so far.
• Sophomore Austin Broadie and senior Abby Oliver have yet to play this season.

FRESH AND FLOURISHING

• Four of Washburn's freshmen, Gabi Artis, Natalia Figueroa, Amaya Davison, and Lizzy Sanders combined for 26 points in the season opener against Southwestern Oklahoma State. That is the most points for a freshmen class in a season opener since at least the 2006-07 season.
• Artis sits at second on the team in scoring through two games, with eight point outings in both contests ... she has made multiple 3-pointers in both games this season and is averaging one steal and one block per game ... she is also second on the team, shooting 36.4% from deep
• Sanders is averaging five points per game and shooting a team-high 85.7% from the field so far .... in the season opener against Southwestern Oklahoma State she scored 10 points on 5-6 shooting
• Figueroa is second on the team, averaging 25.5 minutes per game and has started both games ... on opening night she scored five points and recorded a block and a steal against SWOSU.
• Davison has the highest assist to turnover percent among players playing at least 10 minutes per game at 5:1 ... she is also averaging one steal per game and shot 3-4 from the free throw line against SWOSU
• Yiibari Nwidadah has not played in a game yet, but in high school was an all-state honorable mention as a junior after averaging 11.8 ppg, 7.0 rpg, and 2.1 bpg.
• This season marks the first season before 2006-07 that Washburn has not had a newcomer in the form of a transfer student-athlete.
• The 2022 freshman class has played a total of 151 minutes this season, which already surpasses the total amount played by true freshmen last season.

A NEW ERA - HEAD COACH LORA WESTLING

• Former Washburn women's basketball student-athlete Lora Westling has returned to her alma mater and is in her first season as head coach in 2022-23.
• Westling returns to her alma mater after six seasons at Western Colorado, where she compiled a record of 77-78 and led the team to back-to-back NCAA Tournament selections – the first two in program history.
• Her overall victories is second on the Western all-time list and her 63 RMAC wins is tied for second in program history.
• Prior to Western Colorado, Westling spent three seasons as the head coach at the Division III program, Illinois College.
• Before accepting the head job at Illinois College, Westling was the top assistant at Truman State from 2010-13.
• Westling's first full-time position came at University of Missouri-St. Louis where she was the top assistant from 2007-10.
• She got her start in coaching at Washburn, where she served as a graduate assistant for the women's basketball and women's soccer teams.
• Westling was a standout member of Washburn's women's basketball team from 2001-05 and helped the Lady Blues to the school's first NCAA Division II national championship in 2005.
• She is currently sixth in games played (132), sixth in career three-pointers made (144), 10th in assists (299), and 14th in three-point field goal percentage (.363).
• She also played one season of soccer for the Lady Blues.

WASHBURN ASSISTANT COACHES

• Coach Westling brought in a new coaching staff for her first season and chose J'nae Squires-Horton and Will Marchino as her assistants.
• Squires-Horton served as a graduate assistant at the University of Colorado Springs-Colorado.
• As a student-athlete, Squires-Horton was a three-year member of the MSU Denver basketball team and earned all-RMAC second team honors twice.
• Following her graduation at MSU Denver with a degree in Journalism, Squires-Horton played one season in Latvia with the Latvian Basketball League's SBK Liepaja/LSSS.
• Marchino spend the previous two seasons as an assistant coach at Seward County Community College where he oversaw recruiting and scouting.
• Prior to his time in Liberal, Kansas, Marchino was an assistant coach for Grand View University.
• Before making the jump to the college ranks, Marchino was the varsity girls basketball head coach at Iowa Christian Academy.
• Marchino is a 2008 graduate from the University of Iowa where he received his degree in Health and Sports Studies.

WASHBURN'S LAST TIME OUT

Oklahoma Baptist 43, Washburn 41 (Nov. 12, 2022)

TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn women's basketball (1-1) was unable to hold onto a narrow second-half lead, losing 43-41 to Oklahoma Baptist University (1-1) in a low-scoring affair to wrap up the 2022 Washburn Crossover Classic.

Both teams were held scoreless for the first 3:58 of the game before the Bison scored first. OBU controlled an 8-5 lead over Washburn after the first 10 minutes. Both teams shot under 35% from the floor to open the game.

The Ichabods' offense got going in the second quarter with shots falling from behind the arc. After knocking down one triple in the first quarter, Mackenzie Gamble sunk another in the second and was followed by another from Natalia Figueroa to tie the game.  Washburn led by as many as three in the period and would go into halftime up 20-19. The Ichabods held the Bison to 30% shooting in the first half and forced 10 turnovers.

Coming out of halftime, two 3-pointers from Gabi Artis gave Washburn its biggest lead on the day of four points. Oklahoma Baptist's offense picked up, shooting 5-10 from the floor in the quarter to take a 31-28 lead into the fourth.  In the final period of play, shots stopped falling for the Ichabods, going 4-13 from the floor.

The lead was cut to one point after a jumper by Emma Chapman with 7:56 remaining but Washburn was not able to get any closer, falling 43-41.

Chapman led Washburn with 10 points while also pulling down seven rebounds, both career highs. She was the only Ichabod to finish in double figures. Gabi Artis scored eight points and had two blocks.

Washburn won the rebounding battle 25-22 and pulled down 12 offensive boards in the game. Lauren Cassaday had a game-high nine. The Ichabods' 13 assists surpassed the Bisons' total of eight as well. Aubree Dewey had four assists to lead Washburn.

The Ichabods lost the turnover battle, 25-20, allowing Oklahoma Baptist to score 21 points off the miscues.  Washburn held the Bison to just 37.8% shooting in the game. They were led by Jaedyn Getman who scored 13 points and Melissa Southard with 12.

ABOUT THE SOUTHERN NAZARENE CRIMSON STORM

• The Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm have had a winning record for each of the past four seasons including a 20-10 finish in 2021-22. Last year the Crimson Storm lost in the first round of the GAC tournament to Arkansas Tech, 67-65.
• In their last game the Crimson Storm defeated Arkansas Fort Smith 69-43 in Bethany, Oklahoma.
• Southern Nazarene lost to two MIAA opponents, Nebraska-Kearney and Fort Hays State in the first two games this season.
• Through three games Southern Nazarene is scoring 55 points per game and are allowing 54.3 points in each contest.
• They are shooting only 25.4% from three so far, 18-71 overall.
• The Crimson Storm are being outrebounded by seven each game, pulling down 34 boards and giving up 41 rebounds.
• Cassandra Awatt led the Crimson Storm, scoring 27 points with 13 rebounds in the Wednesday night win over Arkansas Fort Smith.
• She leads the team scoring 15 points per game and pulling down 7.7 rebounds
• Hannah Giddey averages the most assists at 3.3 per game while also shooting 61.1% from the floor.
• Georgia Adams is tied for the team lead averaging 2 steals per game and has knocked down five 3-pointers, tops on the team.
• Southern Nazarene's roster is experienced, consisting of 11 upperclassmen and six underclassmen.   

HEAD COACH TRENT MAY

• Trent May will enter his fifth year as head women's basketball coach at his alma matter Southern Nazarene.
• May previously held head coaching positions at Grand Canyon University and Bethany College where he holds records at both schools for single season wins.
• At Bethany, he was named the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year two times.
• At Grand Canyon he was named the 2012 PacWest Coach of the Year
• After the Lopes reclassified to Division I, May led them to a 21-9 record and third-place finish in the Western Athletic Conference in the first season at the DI level.
• May previously served as an assistant at Southern Nazarene for four years where the Crimson Storm went 122-21 over the period and won a national championship.
• May graduated from SNU in 1995 and earned his master's degree in kinesiology in 1997.

SERIES WITH SOUTHERN NAZARENE

• The two teams have played each other only one other time, March 8, 1989 in Bethany, Ok.
• The Ichabods lost to the Crimson Storm 96-85 in the game.

LAST TIME AGAINST SOUTHERN NAZARENE

• Southern Nazarene 96, Washburn 85 (Mar. 8, 1989)
• The Ichabods lost to the Crimson Storm 96-85 in the 1988-89 season's penultimate game.
• The price of gas in the United States was $1.00
• Tracy Chapman won the Grammy for best new artist.
• The first Game Boy was released in North America four months later.
• No player on the current Ichabod or Crimson Storm teams were born.

ABOUT THE ROCKHUST HAWKS

• Rockhurst went 16-12 last season and 11-9 in the GLVC, advancing to the second round of the conference tournament before losing to Drury.
• The Rockhurst Hawks lost to Upper Iowa University 73-62 in Kansas City, Mo.
• Through three games Rockhurst is averaging 70.7 points per game and allowing 75.7 to be scored.  Through three games Rockhurst is averaging 70.7 points per game and allowing 75.7 to be scored.
• The Hawks are shooting 38% from the floor this season and are allowing opponents to shoot 42.1%.
• Teams are also connecting from deep against Rockhurst, hitting 38.3% of their triple tries, Rockhurst is shooting 36.7% themselves.
• On the glass the Hawks have a slight advantage, pulling down 40.7 rebounds per game, 2.7 more than their opponents
• Rockhurst has dished out 35 assists total through three games but have a total of 46 turnovers
• Holly Hummel led the Hawks in scoring Wednesday night against Upper Iowa, scoring 18 points with four blocks and nine rebounds.
• Keegan Sullivan paces Rockhust scoring 16 points per game while also boarding nine rebounds. She has also shot 7 for 8 from three to begin the season.
• Allison McFarren averages three assists per contest to lead the Hawks
• Rockhurst has a balanced roster, with five seniors and five freshmen

HEAD COACH LARRY PARK

• Larry Park enters his 14th season at the helm of the Rockhurst women's basketball program
• Parks is well-traveled, making stops at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Ottawa University and Avila University in his 39 years of coaching.
• He has also been an assistant on the men's basketball team at Rockhurst and worked as an admission and financial aid counselor at the University.
• He recieved the Walt Tylicki Memorial Award from the Greater Kansas City Basketball Coaches Association for his long-time service as a coach and educator.
• Park led the Hawks to back-to-back winning seasons in 2016-17, the first time for the program since 1997-98.
• Rockhurst has won 98 games over the past eight seasons.

SERIES WITH ROCKHURST

• Saturday's matchup will be the 22nd time that Washburn has faced Rockhurst.
• The Ichabods lead the all-time series over the Hawks, 16-5.
• Rockhurst has won the last two matchups, including a 71-69 win in Lee Arena at the Washburn Thanksgiving Classic last season.
• The two teams first played on Dec. 4, 1982 in Topeka, with Washburn winning 83-53.

LAST TIME AGAINST ROCKHURST

Washburn 69, Rockhurst 71

• The Ichabods lost on a 3-pointer from the Hawks with four seconds remaining in regulation in the final game of the Washburn Thanksgiving Classic.
• Washburn hit a 3-pointer to take the lead with 11 seconds left before Daly Sullivan won the game for Rockhurst seven seconds later.
• Dewey scored a season-high 11 points on 4-5 shooting with three assists.
• Cassaday scored 11 points with three assists and four rebounds on 5-7 shooting.
• Hunter Bentley led Washburn with 16 points.

WASHBURN HISTORY

• Washburn women's basketball is 972-462-1 (.678) all-time and are in the 54th 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 will remain at home for one more game before kicking off conference play. On Wednesday, Nov. 23 they will host Central Christian College at 6 p.m. in Lee Arena before taking on Northeastern State University on the road, Monday, Nov. 28.