TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Washburn women's basketball team will play its final home game of the season and host Missouri Southern for senior night on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in Lee Arena.

OPENING TIP
>> The six Ichabod seniors (Nuria Barrientos, Hunter Bentley, Katie Glatczak, Mya Johnson, Irene Sanz, and Shae Sanchez) will be recognized on the court for their contributions to the Washburn program at the conclusion of the game.
>> Washburn improved its record to 13-13 (11-9 MIAA) after capturing its largest win margin of the season with a 22-point victory over Northeastern State on Tuesday.
>> The Lions (20-5, 17-3 MIAA) are currently on a 13 game winning-streak with victories over three top-25 teams during that stretch.
>> MSSU won the matchup earlier this season, 69-50, in Joplin on Jan. 13.
>> Missouri Southern is 8-2 when competing on the road.
>> WU is 8-6 when playing in Lee Arena this season.
>> This will be the 85th all-time meeting between these programs since 1971.
>> Washburn leads the all-time series, 53-31.

WASHBURN NOTES
>> The Ichabods average an even 60.0 ppg and have a 41.3 field goal percentage.
>> Hunter Bentley is No. 8 in the MIAA in scoring, averaging 14.4 ppg.
>> She leads the team in three-pointers with 47 and has made at least one triple in each of the last nine games.
>> Bentley also leads the team in assists (2.6 apg) and steals (1.2 spg).
>> Abby Oliver is second on the team in scoring with 8.7 ppg and has 4.6 rpg.
>> Oliver is also fifth in the conference with 1.1 bpg.
>> Macy Doebele tallied eight points and four rebounds against the RiverHawks. For the season, she adds 8.0 ppg and 5.0 rpg.
>> Shae Sanchez averages 6.9 ppg off the bench and led WU in scoring against her former team on Tuesday night, recording 13 points with three triples in the game.
>> Nuria Barrientos leads the team with 136 total rebounds this season for a 5.2 rpg average. She also contributes 6.6 ppg and 1.0 bpg.
>> Aubree Dewey made her second start of the season on Tuesday evening and scored six points. She has played in all 26 games and averages 3.8 ppg, 2.2 rpg, and 1.7 apg.
>> Lauren Cassaday found her groove against the RiverHawks as she made 4-of-5 from the field and all four of her free throws to score a season-high 12 points.
>> This season, Cassaday is averaging 4.3 ppg and 3.5 rpg.
>> Against Northeastern State, Hannah Willey played a season-high 16 minutes off the bench and scored five points to go with two steals, a rebound, and an assist.
>> Washburn is 6-0 when scoring 70 or more points this season.
>> The Ichabods have won the last six senior day games dating back to the 2015-16 season.
>> WU held NSU to 49 points on Tuesday evening, marking the fourth time this season Washburn has held an opponent to 49 or fewer points.
>> Washburn also shot over 50 percent from the field for the sixth time this season. The Ichabods have won all six games when shooting 50 percent or higher.

MIAA PLAYOFF PICTURE
>> Next week (March 2-6) will be MIAA Tournament at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.
>> The first day of games on March 2 will be the women's No. 8 seed vs. No. 9 seed at noon and the No. 7 seed vs. the No. 10 seed at 2:15 p.m.
>> The top-10 teams in the final standings will compete in the tournament.
>> There's a tie for first in the standings as Fort Hays State and Missouri Southern both hold a 17-3 mark in conference play.
>> Washburn has already clinched a spot in the tournament and is currently eighth in the standings with an 11-9 record.
>> Pittsburg State is close behind at 10-10 and Emporia State is 10th at 8-12.

MILESTONE TRACKER
>> Bentley is 25 points away from an even 1,600 in her career.
>> Doebele is nearing 400 career points and needs 21 more.
>> Dewey will hit the century mark in 13 more assists.

THANK YOU, SENIORS!
>> Fifth-year senior Bentley will play her final game in Lee Arena on Thursday. She has played in every game Washburn has played since her freshman season to become the program's all-time leader in career games played (140) and minutes (4,198). She has started in 111 games.
>> Bentley is also fifth for Washburn in steals (197), fifth in rebounds (741), fifth in free throws made (308), fifth in three-pointers made (171), and sixth in scoring (1,575).
>> Bentley is a three-time all-MIAA selection and earned second team honors last season.
>> Glatczak is a four-year member of the Washburn basketball team and has played in 55 games with seven starts in three seasons. She recorded five points, five rebounds, four steals, and three assists in the overtime win over Oklahoma Baptist at the beginning of this season.
>> Sanz transferred to Washburn in 2019 from Northeast Community College and has played in 33 games with two starts. She tallied a career-high seven points at Pittsburg State this season.
>> Barrientos received all-MIAA honorable mention accolades in her first season with the Ichabods last year. She has started 44 of the 50 games she's played for Washburn and has scored 425 points to go with 323 rebounds.
>> She has led the team in double-doubles the past two seasons as she has three this season and had seven last year.
>> Sanchez joined Washburn this fall as a transfer from Northeastern State. This season, Sanchez has played in 25 games with two starts and has scored in 23 games. She has tallied double-figure points in seven games and scored a season-high 15 at Lincoln.
>> Johnson also joined the Ichabods this season from Northwestern Oklahoma State. She has played in eight games and scored eight points to go with eight rebounds in the season opener at No. 16 Southwestern Oklahoma.

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
>> The 2021-22 season marks the 38th season of play in Lee Arena as the facility opened in the 1983-84 season.
>> Washburn is 439-114 all-time in Lee Arena.
>> The Ichabods went 7-4 at home last season.
>> Head Coach Ron McHenry is 248-66 when coaching in Lee Arena.

WASHBURN'S LAST TIME OUT
TOPEKA, Kan. – Nine different Ichabods scored on Tuesday evening as the Washburn women's basketball team recorded its largest margin of victory of the season with a 71-49 win against Northeastern State.

Northeastern State (6-21, 4-17 MIAA) scored the opening basket, but that would be the only lead it held in the game as Bentley hit a three-pointer to spark a 9-0 run and Washburn never looked back. The Ichabods (13-13, 11-9 MIAA) scored eight of the final 11 points in the first quarter to lead 17-9.

Washburn extended its lead to double-figures in the second quarter. Hannah Willey's jump shot and three-pointer gave the Ichabods their largest lead of the first half at 34-18 with 1:20 to go. The RiverHawks put up two layups to close out the frame, but Washburn still held a 34-22 advantage at the break.

The Ichabod offense came out hot to start the second half as they made 8-of-12 from the field and 2-of-4 from deep to outscore the RiverHawks, 24-13, and take a 58-35 lead into the fourth quarter. The third frame was capped off by a buzzer beating three-pointer from Shae Sanchez.

WU led by as many as 26 points in the final quarter before closing out the 71-49 win.

Washburn shot over 50 percent for the sixth time this season, ending the game with a 50.9 field goal percentage, while Northeastern State shot 33.9 percent. The Ichabods made 6-of-17 from three-point range and the RiverHawks made 4-of-18. WU made all 11 of its free throw attempts and NSU went 7-for-12 at the charity stripe. The Ichabods pounded the paint and scored 42 of their points there.

Thirteen Ichabods made an appearance in the game and the nine who played more than three minutes all scored. Sanchez hit three triples and finished with a team-high 13 points to go with four rebounds. Lauren Cassaday was 4-for-5 from the floor and made all four free throw attempts to tally 12 points and four boards. Barrientos, Bentley, and Macy Doebele contributed eight points apiece. Abby Oliver grabbed a team-best five rebounds and added seven points.

Northeastern State was led by Maleeah Langstaff's 17 points.

ABOUT THE MISSOURI SOUTHERN LIONS
>> A season ago, the Lions went 9-14 (9-13 MIAA) and were picked ninth in the 2021-22 MIAA Preseason Poll.
>> MSSU is currently tied for first in the MIAA standings and has won 13 games in a row.
>> Four-time MIAA Athlete of the Week and true freshman Lacy Stokes leads the way for MSSU. She averages 18.8 ppg (third in MIAA) and 5.9 apg (first in MIAA).
>> In the win at Pittsburg State last time out, she broke the program's freshman scoring record for a single season (470 points) and a single game record (36 points)
>> Amaya Johns (11.5 ppg) and Madi Stokes (10.7 ppg) also contribute double-figure scoring.
>> Madi Stokes leads the team and is ninth in the league with 7.4 rpg and is the conference leader in blocks with 1.9 bpg.

HEAD COACH RONNIE RESSEL
>> Ronnie Ressel is in his sixth season at the helm of the Lions' bench and has compiled a record of 56-82 heading into this season. He is 2-6 against Washburn.
>> He has been a part of the Missouri Southern athletic department for 20 seasons, serving as an assistant for both the men's and women's programs.
>> Prior to joining the Missouri Southern coaching staff, he was the head coach at Rend Lake College and was named the Great Rivers Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 1996.
>> Ressel was a two-time letterwinner for Missouri Southern and led the team in assists both seasons.

SERIES WITH MISSOURI SOUTHERN
>> Washburn leads the all-time series, 53-31.
>> When playing the Lions in Topeka, Washburn is 32-11.
>> The Ichabods have won the last three games played in Lee Arena against the Lions.
>> Missouri Southern's most recent victory in Topeka was a 73-67 win on Feb. 6, 2016.
>> Coach McHenry is 27-11 against the Lions.

LAST MEETING WITH MISSOURI SOUTHERN
Missouri Southern 69, Washburn 50 -- Feb. 25, 2021
JOPLIN, Mo. – The Washburn women's basketball team dropped its first game of the 2022 calendar year with a 69-50 loss at Missouri Southern on Thursday evening. The Ichabods will close out their road trip on Saturday afternoon at Pittsburg State.

The Washburn (5-8, 3-4 MIAA) offense got off to a slow start, making just 3-of-15 shot attempts from the field while the Lions (9-5, 6-3 MIAA) went on an 8-0 run in the final 5:07 to close out the opening quarter in front, 15-6.

Aubree Dewey ended the Ichabods' scoring drought with a pull up jumper at the 8:34 mark in the second quarter and Macy Doebele followed that up with a pair of free throws to pull within 15-10. Missouri Southern responded with another scoring run, adding seven unanswered points in just over four minutes to extend its lead to 22-12. Emma Chapman made a layup to score the final points of the opening half, but it was the Lions who went into the break in front, 28-19.

Both teams were held scoreless until Nuria Barrientos made a jumper at the 7:01 mark. Doebele made a jumper midway through the quarter to cut the deficit back to seven, 33-26, but Missouri Southern ended the frame on an 11-4 run to push its lead back to double-digits at 44-30.

Despite Washburn having its best quarter of the game in the fourth by shooting 42 percent and scoring 20 points, the Lions also recorded their best period and put up 25 points to maintain their double-digit lead for the rest of the contest.

The Ichabods ended the night shooting 30.6 from the floor while the Lions made 42.9 percent. Missouri Southern went 9-for-26 from behind the arc and Washburn made 4-of-19 from deep with Bentley making all four triples. The Ichabods outrebounded their opponents, 43-38, and scored 12 points after 10 offensive boards. Washburn made all eight of its free throw attempts while Missouri Southern made just half, going 12-of-24 at the charity stripe.

Bentley led the Ichabods with a double-double, tallying 20 points and 10 rebounds. Off the bench, Shae Sanchez added eight points and six rebounds to go with two assists. Doebele had eight boards and made all four of her free throws.

Four Lions finished in double-figure scoring led by Lacy Stokes' 18 points. Stokes also contributed seven assists, five steals, and five rebounds.

WASHBURN COACHES
>> McHenry is in his 22nd season at Washburn and holds an overall record of 487-176 (294-126 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.
>> Herber has filled in as the head coach for three total games this season and holds a record of 2-1.
>> 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 970-458-1 (.680) 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
>> For the second year in a row, the final game of the regular season will take place against rival Emporia State. Tip-off at White Auditorium is set for 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.