•The Washburn Ichabods (21-10) are making their 16th NCAA appearance and their fourth in five years under head coach Brett Ballard as they will face-off with the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs (25-5) on Saturday in Sioux Falls, S.D. at 2:30 p.m. at the Sanford Pentagon.
•It will be the third meeting between the Ichabods and the Bulldogs and the first since the first since an 86-61 victory by the Ichabods on Nov. 24, 2012 in San Antonio, Texas at the St. Mary's Thanksgiving Classic. The Ichabods also won on March 14, 1989 when both teams were members of the NAIA when the Ichabods won 59-55 in the round of 32 in Kansas City in a 59-55 win.
•The Ichabods are the No. 7 seed and coming off an 84-76 loss to Northwest Missouri in the MIAA Championship game.
•The Bulldogs are the No. 2 seed and fell to Minnesota State Moorhead 81-73 in the NSIC Championship game.
•The Bulldogs are in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2002-03 season.
•The Ichabods are 15-15 all-time in the NCAA Tournament in 15 previous appearances and reached the NCAA Championship game once during the 2001 season falling to Kentucky Wesleyan 72-63.
•Against teams from the Northern Sun Conference, the Ichabods are 0-1 falling to Northern State in the 2018 first round game by a score of 91-75.
•The Ichabods recorded the program's 30th 20-win season and the fourth under Ichabod head coach Brett Ballard with the win over Central Oklahoma in the MIAA Tournament semifinals.
•The 2021-22 season marks the 117th season of Ichabod basketball. •Tyler Geiman went over the 4,000-minutes played mark last time out against Lincoln and has now played more minutes than any Ichabod in program history (4,304) … Geiman passed Keith Downing for the most appearances in Washburn history with his 139th against Central Oklahoma … Geiman has led the Ichabods in assists 100 career games … Geiman made his 100th start as an Ichabod against the Bronchos earlier this season … he leads the Ichabods in scoring average at 15.3 ppg with 5.1 rpg and 6.6 apg … in the last 13 games he is scoring 18.1 ppg with 6.3 rpg and 7.6 apg … Geiman is ranked second in the NCAA D2 ranks in active assists with 718 and 11th in assist average at 5.2 … overall Geiman is fifth in all NCAA divisions of active career assists.
•Jalen Lewis is scoring 13.6 ppg hitting 64 of 164 3-pointers (.386) … he became the 27th member of the Ichabod 1,000-point club and is currently 10th on the Ichabod all-time scoring chart with 1,438 career points in 119 career games … he has 261 career 3-pointers which passed Shannon Kruger for the most in school history against Rogers State … he also attempted his 1,000th field goal attempt as an Ichabod at Lincoln, which is 10th all-time at Washburn.
•Since moving into the starting lineup seven games ago, Jonny Clausing is averaging 15.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game playing an average of 30.0 minutes per game and in those games he is 41 of 70 shooting 59 percent from the field … for the season he is averaging 10.7 ppg with 5.2 rpg.
•Michael Keegan, the 2021-22 MIAA Freshman of the Year is scoring 9.3 ppg with 6.1 rebounds per game, 0.9 blocks per game … he pulled down a career-high 15 rebounds in the win over UCO in the MIAA Tournament semifinals … Keegan's 30 starts this season is the most by a freshman in program history and his 31 games played is tied for 10th … his 188 rebounds are fourth on the all-time freshman chart and his .553 field goal percentage is fourth on the Ichabod freshman chart.
•Connor Deffebaugh is scoring 9.3 ppg with 2.5 rpg and 1.7 apg … he went 4 of 7 from deep in the in the MIAA Tournament and has reached double figure scoring in five of his last six games.
•Jeremy Harrell has been limited to 23 minutes in the three MIAA Tournament games … he recorded his second double double at Washburn against Lincoln with 11 points and 10 rebounds and he is averaging 7.8 ppg with 4.2 rpg this season.
•Tyler Nelson is scoring 6.6 ppg with 2.2 rpg and 2.4 apg in 19 games playing an average of 22.0 minutes a game and hit the game-winner against Northwest Missouri sending the Ichabods to a 60-59 win with his 3-pointer.
•Tyler Geiman became the 26th member of Washburn's 1,000-point club and his career point total stands at 1,766 points in 139 career games, which is fourth all-time on the Ichabod chart … only Javion Blake (1,829), Tom Meier (2,082) and Gary Carrier (2,626) have scored more points as an Ichabod … Geiman's 247 career 3-pointers is second all-time at Washburn and his 657 career 3-point attempts is first on the Ichabod charts … since defensive rebounds were tracked in the Washburn record books starting in the 1994-95 season, Geiman is second in defensive rebounds with 622 trailing only Brady Skeens who had 713 … overall Geiman is seventh all-time at Washburn in career rebounds with 694.
  Senior Tyler Geiman has left his name all over the Ichabod career record book. Below is where he ranks in each category
3-point field goals attempted: 1st (657)
Games played: 1st (139)
Minutes: 1st (4304)
3-point field goals made: 2nd (247)
Defensive rebounds: 2nd (622)
Assists: 2nd (716)
Assists average: 2nd (5.2)
Field goals attempted: 3rd (1398)
Steals: 3rd (150)
Points: 4th (1766)
Games started: 4th (111)
Field goals made: 5th (632)
Defense rebound avg: 6th (4.5)
Minutes average: 6th (31.0)
Rebounds: 7th (694)
Free throws made: 15th (255)
 
Jalen Lewis is another Ichabod who has placed his name in the Washburn record book. Below are Lewis' career rankings.
3-point field goals made: 1st (261)
3-point field goals attempted: 2nd (622)
Free throw percentage: 2nd (.847)
Minutes: 5th (3396)
3-point FG percentage: 8th (.420)
Points: 10th (1438)
Field goals attempted: 10th (1088)
Minutes average: 11th (28.5)
Field goals made: 12th (483)
Games started: 12th (86)
  WASHBURN ICHABOD HEAD COACH BRETT BALLARD
•is 103-48 in his fifth season as the Ichabods' head coach and 136-78 overall in his eighth year as a head coach.
•has led the Ichabods to four NCAA postseason appearances in five full 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.
•has never faced Minnesota Duluth.
 
MINNESOTA DULUTH HEAD COACH JUSTIN WIECK
•took over as the University of Minnesota Duluth head men's basketball coach on May 1, 2018, becoming the 17th head coach in the 89-year history of the Bulldog program and just the fourth since the 1984-85 season.
•spent four years of assistant coaching service at MSU-Moorhead, the Dragons rolled up a 96-38 overall record, made three NCAA Tournament appearances, captured at least a share of two Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference regular titles, advanced to two NSIC Tournament finals and reigned as the NSIC North Division champions three times.
•is 70-31 in his fourth season on the Bulldog bench.
•is 0-0 against the Ichabods. •The Bulldogs received the No. 2 ranking in the central region after finishing the season with a 25-5 record and an appearance in the NSIC Tournament Championship Game.
•The Bulldogs will travel back to Sioux Falls for the Central Regional and will play at The Pentagon.
•This will be the first time since the 2002-2003 season that the Minnesota Duluth Men's Basketball team has reached the NCAA Tournament.
•After a program best start of 16-0, the Bulldogs went on to win the NSIC North Division title. Austin Andrews was named the NSIC North Division Player of the Year and was named to the First-Team All-Conference team along with teammate Drew Blair.
•The Bulldogs have all five starters averaging double figures led by Drew Blair at 18.6 ppg. Austin Andrews is scoring 18.1 ppg with 9.5 rebounds per game. Joshua Brown is scoring 15.0 ppg and Charlie Katona is scoring 11.5 ppg while Jack Middleton is scoring 10.4 ppg.
•As a team the Bulldogs are averaging 86.0 ppg while allowing 69.5 ppg and shoot 51 percent from the field while holding opponents to 43 percent shooting.
  •It will be the third meeting between the Ichabods and the Bulldogs and the first since the first since an 86-61 victory by the Ichabods on Nov. 24, 2012 in San Antonio, Texas at the St. Mary's Thanksgiving Classic.
•The Ichabods also won on March 14, 1989 when both teams were members of the NAIA when the Ichabods won 59-55 in the round of 32 in Kansas City in a 59-55 win. •The Ichabods have never faced the Bulldogs in the NCAA Tournament.
•The Ichabods are 15-15 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
•Washburn advanced to the 2001 NCAA Championship game falling 72-63 to Kentucky Wesleyan.
•Washburn is 9-10 in neutral site NCAA tournament games.
•The Ichabods are 1-2 in NCAA tournament away games.
•Washburn is 5-3 in NCAA tournament home games.
•The Ichabods are 9-6 in NCAA tournament first round games.
•Washburn is 3-6 in second round NCAA tournament games.
•The Ichabods are 1-3 in NCAA regional tournament games played in Missouri going 0-2 in Maryville and going 1-1 in two games played in Joplin at the 2000 NCAA Central Regional.
•The Ichabods have never played an NCAA Tournament game in South Dakota. KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Washburn Ichabods fell in the finals of the MIAA Tournament 84-76, to Northwest Missouri, but disappointment turned to excitement as the Ichabods were named as one of the eight teams in the NCAA Central Regional that will take place next week.
In the championship game, the fourth in the last five years the Ichabods have faced the Bearcats, Washburn (21-9) trailed 38-35 at the break after hitting 50 percent of its shots going 5 of 8 from deep.
To open the second half, Tyler Geiman hit a 3-pointer tying the score at 38 with 19:28 to play, but the Bearcats (27-5) went on a 13-2 run taking a 51-40 lead.
With Washburn trailing 60-51 with 13:07 to go, Connor Deffebaugh hit four straight free throws and Washburn eventually took the lead back at 63-62 but an 11-2 run by the Bearcats stretched the margin to eight with 4:39 to go.
After a layup by Geiman and three free throws by Jalen Lewis, Washburn trailed 73-70 with 3:28 to go, but would not get any closer the rest of the way.
Lewis led the Ichabods with 17 points and Deffebaugh scored 13. Geiman finished with 12 with six assists and Michael Keegan scored 11 with nine rebounds.
Washburn shot 49 percent for the game and Northwest was 29 of 55 overall for a 53 percent clip hitting 11 of 24 from deep compared to 8 of 18 for the Ichabods. Northwest held a slim 31 to 29 advantage on the glass.
Both Lewis and Geiman were named to the All-Tournament team. (Nov. 24, 2012)  SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- The No. 2-ranked Washburn Ichabods trailed Minnesota Duluth 3-2 for their only deficit of the night cruising to an 85-61 win to improve to 5-0 on the season in their final game of the St. Mary's Thanksgiving Classic.
After falling behind 3-2 after scoring the first points of the game Washburn would go on an 18-5 run over the next six minutes to put the game out of reach as the Ichabods took a 42-31 lead into the halftime break. Washburn used a balanced scoring attack in the first half as seven different players had at least four points.
In the second half, the Bulldogs cut the lead to 10 twice in the frame, but would not get within double digits the remainder of the game as the Ichabods would go on to lead by 25 twice in the game including the final margin at 86-61.
Martin Mitchell led four different Ichabods in double figures scoring 16 points on 6 of 9 from the field. Will McNeill scored 13 with a team high seven rebounds adding four steals and three assists. Bobby Chipman scored 11 and Zack Riggins had 10.
Ben Bucholtz led the Bulldogs with 13 points.
Washburn shot 52 percent from the field hitting 32 of 62 from the field overall going 14 of 25 in the second half. Washburn held the Bulldogs to 15 of 47 from the field in the game for a 32 percent clip including only 7 of 27 from the field in the second half.
Washburn also forced the Bulldogs into 19 turnovers leading to 18 points. Washburn was outrebounded 35 to 32 in the game.
  •The Ichabods are 1641-1107-2 all-time in the 117th 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 659-304 since joining the conference and the NCAA.
•The Ichabods have recorded 30 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 16 NCAA Tournament bids going to three Elite Eight's appearing in the 2001 NCAA National Championship game.
  • The Ichabods are 476-99 (.848) all-time in Lee Arena.
• The 2021-22 season marks the 38th season of play in Lee Arena.
• The Ichabods are 37-1 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.
  •With a win, the Ichabods will face the winner of the Northwest Missouri/MSU Moorhead game on Sunday at 5 p.m. With a loss, the Ichabod season will come to an end.