TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn women's basketball finishes its road swing through the Show Me State on Saturday against the Missouri Western State Griffons in Civic Arena at 1:30 p.m. 
 

OPENING TIP

• Washburn women's basketball plays its final road game in the year 2023 on Saturday against the Griffons. 
• The Ichabods will face Missouri Western State at 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 16 in the St. Joseph Civic Arena with the game moved due to graduation ceremonies in the MWSU arena. 
• Washburn is coming off a 66-64 win at home over No. 23 Northwest Missouri State on Dec. 13.  
• WU is now 7-2 overall on the year and has gone 2-1 in the MIAA. 
• They have gone 3-0 at home, 3-1 on the road and 1-1 in neutral court games. 
• The Ichabods 2022-23 season came to an end with in the regular season with a ninth place finish in the MIAA after going 11-17 overall and 7-15 in the conference.
• Washburn returns six players from last seasons roster including three players who started in at least 50% of games. The Ichabods round out the roster with five freshmen and one transfer. 
• The Griffons are off to an 7-3 start on the year and are 3-2 in the MIAA aftern an 80-60 win over Emporia State on Thursday. 
• The Ichabods were picked to finish in eighth place in the MIAA Preseason Coaches poll and were slotted at 10th in the media vote. 

BODS AND BITS

• As a team Washburn averages 76.2 ppg on 45.3% shooting from the floor and 36.9% from deep. 
• Opponents average 56.0 ppg on 33.0% shooting and 24.4% from behind the arc. 
• The Ichabods are pulling down 42.3 rpg while holding opponents to just 33.2 rpg. They also average 14.0 apg while opponents only average 8.7.
• Washburn extended its three point streak to 79 games with five triples on Saturday. 
• The Ichabods have a 1.1 assist to turnover ratio while opponents average 0.5 assist for every giveaway. 
• The 12 player roster for Washburn is the smallest roster since the 2006-07 roster which also featured 12 players. 

THE BLUE CREW

• Yiibari Nwidadah is averaging a double-double for the Ichabods and has picked up one in six games this season. She is is tied for the team lead averaging 13.6 ppg while also pulling down a team-best 10.8 rpg including 4.1 orpg. Nwidadah also leads WU shooting 58.6% from the floor and is playing just 24.4 mpg. 
• Aubree Dewey is tied for first on the squad at 13.6 ppg on 46.0% shooting while playing a team high 32.4 mpg, starting every game.. She also leads the passing game averaging 6.3 apg. From the point guard position, Dewey is second on the team averaging 5.7 rpg and has come away with 1.8 steals per contest this season as well. 
• Gabi Giovannetti is scoring 11.0 ppg in just 19.8 mpg off the bench. She has averages of 52.6% from the floor and is shooting a team-high 48.1% from behind the arc. Defensively she has come away with a team-high 1.2 bpg and snagged 0.8 spg. 
• Aniah Wayne is averaging double figures, scoring 10.2 ppg this season in 26.3 mpg with eight starts. She also pulls down 3.6 rpg and is shooting 38.0% from behind the arc, leading the Ichabods with 19 triples. 
• Lakyn Schieferecke has started seven games for Washburn playing 21.2 mpg. She is averaging 5.1 ppg on 48.6% shooting and is pulling down 4.1 rpg .
• Amaya Davison is averaging 7.1 ppg off the bench on the year shooting 44.2% from the floor. She is 38.5% from three point range in 19.0 mpg coming off the bench. 
• Mackenzie Gamble has made three starts and is averaging 22.6 mpg so far. She is scoring 5.6 ppg, dishing 2.0 apg with 0.7 spg. She is second on the squad at 41.2% from behind the arc this season. 
• Liz Boyd is averaging 6.8 ppg in just 11.7 mpg while shooting 52.4% from the field. She's also pulling down 3.4 rpg off the bench.
• Madelyn Amekporfor made six starts averaging 16.8 mpg and is scoring 6.1 ppg on 41.3% shooting with 0.8 steals per game. 
• Rebecca Snyder is scoring 1.4 ppg with 2.1 rpg playing 8.0 mpg with appearances in every game and two starts. 
• Nia McKenzie has made one start and appeared in every game playing 6.6 mpg.

STACKING THE STATS

• WU is 14th in the nation in scoring margin as they have outscored teams by an average of 20.2 points per game. 
• Washburn is 20th nationally in field goal percentage at 45.3. That number is good for second among MIAA teams. 
• On the defensive end the Ichabods are 6th in the nation in field goal percentage defense with opponents shooting a combined 33.0%. That ranks first in the conference.
• Washburn is crashing the glass and is 19th nationally in rebound advantage pulling down 9.1 more boards per game than opponents. 
• The Ichabods are 20th in the nation in efficiency from deep shooting 36.9% for the year, the best mark in the MIAA. 
• Washburn is also first in the conference and 26th nationally in defending the three point line holding opponents to 24.4% shooting from behind the arc. 
• Aubree Dewey ranks fifth in the nation in assists per game with 6.3, that number is first among MIAA players. She is 9th nationally in total assists with 57. 
• Yiibari Nwidadah is first in the MIAA and 13th nationally averaging 10.8 rpg. She is also 20th in the nation in field goal percentage at 58.6% which puts her second in the conference. 
• Nwidadah is tied for second nationally with six double doubles on the season. 
• Aniah Wayne is fifth in the MIAA in three point percentage at 38.0% and is fifth in total 3-pointers made with 19. 

MILESTONE MARKERS

• Aubree Dewey is three assists away from 250 in her career. She is 49 points away from reaching 700 total. 
• Mackenzie Gamble needs nine more triples to reach 100 in her Ichabod career. She is also just eight assists away from dishing out 100 total. 
• Gabi Giovannetti is four points away from 250 career points. 
• Yiibari Nwidadah is seven points away from 300 in her career. 

HEAD COACH LORA WESTLING

• Former Washburn women's basketball student-athlete Lora Westling is in year two as the head coach in Topeka for the 2023-24 season. 
• 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

• The Ichabods will have three fresh faces on the sidelines with an all new assistant coaching staff in year two of the Lora Westling era. 
• Matt Barreiro and Monique M. Scott join the staff as assistant coaches while Damiel Fulp is a volunteer assistant in his first season with WU. 
• Barriero is a 2005 graduate of Arizona Christian and got his masters from Walden University in 2005. He played basketball at both Washington State and Arizona Christian.  
• He has several years of head coaching experience with seven years at the helm at The King's University in Canada and most recently spending the last two years as the head coach at Central Christian College in McPherson, Kan. 
• Scott is a 2019 graduate of Xavier University and received her masters degree from Liberty University in 2022. 
• While at Xavier she worked as a manager on the women's basketball teams and has been a coach and teacher at the prep ranks. 
• Fulp is a 2020 graduate of The King's University where he played after transferring from the University of Alaska Anchorage. 
• He has experience working and attending basketball camps and conferences to develop training methods. 

LAST TIME OUT

Washburn, 66, Northwest Missouri 64 (Dec. 13, 2023)
MARYVILLE, Mo. -- Washburn completed a 14-point second half comeback on Wednesday night to knock off No. 23 Northwest Missouri State 66-64. The Ichabods will take a two-game conference winning streak to St. Joseph on Saturday against Missouri Western State.  

The Bearcats (8-2, 3-2) led from the jump of the game although Washburn (7-2, 2-1) was right behind, tying the game three times in the first quarter alone, but never breaking through. Five different Ichabods scored in the opening quarter to keep the squad down just 16-14.  

Washburn took its first lead of the game with 9:08 left in the second quarter after a 3-pointer by Madelyn Amekporfor. Northwest Missouri quickly took the lead back but the Ichabods were able to keep it close. After NWMSU extended the lead to seven points Yiibari Nwidadah scored the final two points of the half to make it a 33-28 game heading into the break.  

The Ichabods kept it close out of halftime but a 9-0 run for the Bearcats put the game into double figures before Amaya Davison ended the spell with a layup. Washburn was able to go on a 7-0 run shortly after, with Aubree Dewey knocking down a jumper and converting a three-point play. Washburn's offense led the way in cutting into the lead with the Ichabods shooting 8-14 in the frame to trail by just seven going into the fourth.  

Washburn wasted no time continuing to cut into the lead starting the quarter on an 8-1 run to tie the game. Northwest Missouri quickly went back in the lead, but by no more than three points the rest of the way. With 1:08 left in the game Nwidadah converted a three-point play to tie the game at 62. 

The lead would finally flip back to Washburn's favor with 18 seconds to play on a 3-pointer by Aubree Dewey from just behind the top of the key to go up by three. Dewey was able to put on the finishing touch with one more free throw to secure the 66-64 road victory.  

The Ichabods shot 42.9% for the game while shooting just 5-16 from behind the arc. Northwest Missouri shot 39.1% overall but were 42.1% from deep (8-19). Washburn made up that difference with 13 free throws on 19 attempts to just six makes for the Bearcats.  

Dewey led all scorers with 18 points, including 16 in the second half. She also added seven rebounds and a team-high five assists. Nwidadah had 17 points on 7-14 shooting and added eight rebounds along with a career high three blocks. Amaya Davison had 13 off the bench on 5-8 shooting from the floor.  

Four players scored in double figures for Northwest Missouri led by Caely Kesten who had 17 on 7-11 shooting. Molly Hartnett had a 14 point and 11 rebound dobule double.  

ABOUT THE MISSOURI WESTERN STATE GRIFFONS

• The Griffons are 7-3 on the year and 3-2 in MIAA play after an 80-60 victory over Emporia State on Thursday evening at home. 
• Missouri Western went 24-7 overall in 2022-23 with an 18-4 mark in the MIAA before falling in the first round of the MIAA Tournament. 
• On the year the Griffons are averaging 70.1 points on 41.3% shooting overall and 30.4% from deep. 
• Opponents are averaging 62.2 points on 38.3% shooting and 28.2% from behind the arc. 
• MWSU is 3-1 at home this season with Saturday's matchup taking place inside nearby Civic Arena. 
• Missouri Western has a narrow rebounding advantage over opponents, pulling down 1.9 more boards per game. They take care of the ball with a +2.5 turnover margin on the year. 
• Connie Clarke paces the Griffons offensive game at 13.2 ppg on 50.0% from the floor and 57.1% from deep. She also pulls down a team high 7.8 rpg while coming away with 2.5 spg. She has started all 10 games and leads the team in minutes at just 23.7 mpg. 
• Alyssa Bonilla leads the squad in assists with 2.1 per game. She also chips in 5.6 ppg and 1.2 spg. 
• Mackenzie Hart and Tiani Ellison are both tied for second on the Griffons in scoring at 8.1 ppg. Hart adds 1.6 apg while Ellison shoots 50.9% from the floor with 1.1 bpg. 
• Ten players have already started at least one game this season for the Griffons, with the same number of players averaging at least 10 mpg. 

HEAD COACH CANDI WHITAKER

• is in her fifth season as head coach since being hired in April of 2019.
• Prior to coming to MWSU, Whitaker was the head coach at Texas Tech from 2013-18. She was also an associate head coach at Oklahoma State (2012-13) and the head coach at Missouri-Kansas City (2006-12)
• she began her coaching career as an assistant coach at Valparaiso from 2002-04
• as a student-athlete Whitaker helped Texas Tech to back -to-back Sweet 16 appearances as a student-athlete from 2000-02

SERIES WITH MISSOURI WESTERN STATE

• Saturday will be the 103rd meeting all-time between the Ichabods and the Griffons with Washburn leading the series 57-45. 
• The series began Jan. 17, 1976 with a 74-70 overtime win for Washburn in St. Joseph. 
• The Ichabods are 24-28 against Missouri Western on the road. 
• Both games last season went to the Griffons by double digits. Washburn has lost the last four matchups between the two teams. 

LAST TIME VS MISSOURI WESTERN STATE

Missouri Western 67, Washburn 47 (2/1/2023)
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Washburn was unable to overcome Missouri Western's second half offensive surge and lost Wednesday's road contest, 67-47. The Ichabods will close out their Missouri road trip on Saturday afternoon at Northwest Missouri.

Missouri Western (19-5, 13-3 MIAA) led 10-4 with 6:13 on the clock in the first when the Ichabod defense locked in and allowed only one free throw for the remainder of the quarter. Aubree Dewey and Amaya Davison hit back-to-back three-pointers to start a 9-1 run to end the period with Washburn leading 13-11.

The scoring drought switched teams and plagued Washburn (9-11, 5-9 MIAA) in the second quarter as the Ichabods were just 2-of-13 from the field and were outscored 12-4. Both teams went a five minute stretch without scoring a point, but the Griffons finished off the opening half with four unanswered points to go up, 23-17, at the break.

Lakyn Schieferecke made a layup on back-to-back possessions early in the third quarter to trim the deficit down to six points, but that would be as close as it would get for Washburn. Although Washburn shot 42.9 percent from the field and held Missouri Western to a 33.3 clip (4-of-12), the Griffons hit two three-pointers and were 8-for-10 at the charity stripe to lead by 10 at the end of the period.

The Griffons outscored the Ichabods, 26-16, to pull away in the final quarter and led by as many as 22 with one minute left in regulation.

The Griffons finished the night shooting 38.9 percent from the field and the Ichabods shot 34.0 percent. Missouri Western made five more triples than Washburn, going 8-of-19 from deep. The Griffons also held a big advantage at the free throw line as they made 17-of-25 compared to the Ichabods' 8-of-15. MWSU narrowly outrebounded WU, 37-36, but the Ichabods used seven offensive boards to score 10 points. Defensively, the Griffons forced 22 Ichabod turnovers and turned that into 17 points.

Emma Chapman and Figueroa led the Ichabods with nine points each. Schieferecke had eight points and tied a career-high in rebounds with seven. Dewey also chipped in eight points.

Missouri Western's Brionna Budgetts and Connie Clarke teamed up to score 46 of the Griffons' 67 points. Budgetts had a game-high 29 points and Clarke had a double-double with 17 points and 16 rebounds to go with six rebounds and three assists.

WASHBURN HISTORY

• Washburn women's basketball is 989-480-1 (.673) all-time and are in the 55th 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.

LOOKING AHEAD

• The Ichabods return home for the final game of the 2023 calendar year against Northeastern State at 2 p.m. on Dec. 19. 
• Senior day for Washburn will be on March 2 against Emporia State
• The MIAA Championship Tournament begins March 6 in Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.