TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn women's basketball moves into the new year on Tuesday with the 2023 finale against Northeastern State at 2 p.m. in Lee Arena. 
 

OPENING TIP

• Washburn women's basketball wraps up the 2023 year in Topeka on Tuesday against Northeastern State. 
• The Ichabods will host the RiverHawks at 2:00 p.m. on Dec. 19 in Lee Arena to finish off the calendar year. 
• Washburn is coming off a 98-78 loss on the road against Missouri Western State on Dec. 16. 
• WU is now 7-3 overall on the year and has gone 2-2 in the MIAA. 
• They have gone 3-0 at home, 3-2 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 RiverHawks are off to an 4-5 start on the year and are 1-3 in the MIAA after an 58-44 loss to Rogers State on the road on Dec. 13. 
• 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 76.4 ppg on 44.6% shooting from the floor and 37.6% from deep. 
• Opponents average 60.2 ppg on 35.7% shooting and 26.2% from behind the arc. 
• The Ichabods are pulling down 41.3 rpg while holding opponents to just 33.4 rpg. They also average 13.6 apg while opponents only average 9.9.
• Washburn extended its three point streak to 80 games with eight triples on Saturday. 
• The Ichabods have a 1.0 assist to turnover ratio while opponents average 0.6 assist for every giveaway. 
• The 12 player roster for Washburn is the smallest roster since the 2006-07 roster which also featured 12 players. 

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME

• The 2023-24 season marks the 40th season of play in Lee Arena as the facility opened in the 1983-84 season.
• Washburn is 450-124 all-time in Lee Arena. 

THE BLUE CREW

• Aubree Dewey leads the squad offensively at 14.0 ppg on 44.4% shooting while playing a team high 32.9 mpg, starting every game.. She also leads the passing game averaging 6.0 apg. From the point guard position, Dewey is second on the team pulling down 5.4 rpg and has come away with 1.8 steals per contest this season.
• Yiibari Nwidadah is averaging a double-double for the Ichabods and has picked up one in six games this season. She is second on the squad averaging 13.5 ppg while also pulling down a team-best 10.3 rpg including 4.0 orpg. Nwidadah also leads WU shooting 57.9% from the floor and is playing just 24.1 mpg. 
• 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 10.7 ppg this season in 26.9 mpg with nine starts. She also pulls down 3.5 rpg and is shooting 40.0% from behind the arc, leading the Ichabods with 22 triples. 
• Lakyn Schieferecke has started seven games for Washburn playing 21.3 mpg. She is averaging 5.3 ppg on 47.5% shooting and is pulling down 3.8 rpg .
• Amaya Davison is averaging 7.1 ppg off the bench on the year shooting 43.6% from the floor. She is 38.5% from three point range in 18.9 mpg coming off the bench. 
• Mackenzie Gamble has made four starts and is averaging 22.5 mpg so far. She is scoring 6.0 ppg, dishing 1.9 apg with 2.4 rpg. She is second on the squad at 41.0% from behind the arc this season. 
• Liz Boyd is averaging 6.3 ppg in just 11.4 mpg while shooting 50.0% from the field. She's also pulling down 3.2 rpg off the bench.
• Madelyn Amekporfor has made six starts averaging 16.6 mpg and is scoring 6.1 ppg on 42.9% shooting with 0.6 steals per game. 
• Rebecca Snyder is scoring 1.3 ppg with 2.4 rpg playing 9.0 mpg with appearances in every game and three starts. 
• Nia McKenzie has made one start and appeared in every game playing 6.5 mpg.

STACKING THE STATS

• WU is 18th in the nation in scoring margin as they have outscored teams by an average of 16.2 points per game. 
• Washburn is 29th nationally in field goal percentage at 44.6. That number is good for third among MIAA teams. 
• On the defensive end the Ichabods are 36th in the nation in field goal percentage defense with opponents shooting a combined 35.7%. That ranks fourth in the conference.
• Washburn is crashing the glass and is 23rd nationally in rebound advantage pulling down 7.9 more boards per game than opponents. 
• The Ichabods are 17th in the nation in efficiency from deep shooting 37.6% for the year, the best mark in the MIAA. 
• Washburn is second in the conference and 48th nationally in defending the three point line holding opponents to 26.2% shooting from behind the arc. 
• Aubree Dewey ranks eighth in the nation in assists per game with 6.0, that number is first among MIAA players. She is 9th nationally in total assists with 60. 
• Yiibari Nwidadah is first in the MIAA and 17th nationally averaging 10.3 rpg. She is also 19th in the nation in field goal percentage at 57.9% which puts her second in the conference. 
• Nwidadah is tied for second nationally with six double doubles on the season. 
• Aniah Wayne is third in the MIAA in three point percentage at 40.0% and is also third in total 3-pointers made with 22. 

MILESTONE MARKERS

• Aubree Dewey is 31 points away from reaching 700 as an Ichabod. She is 12 steals away from reaching the 100 mark in her career. 
• Mackenzie Gamble needs seven more triples to reach 100 in her Ichabod career. She is also just seven assists away from dishing out 100 total. 
• Gabi Giovannetti is four points away from 250 career points. 
• Yiibari Nwidadah need two more rebounds for 250 at Washburn. 

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

Missouri Western 98, Washburn 78 (Dec. 16, 2023)
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- Washburn kept it close through the first half but a hot-shooting last 20 minutes by Missouri Western gave the Griffons a 98-78 win at home. The Ichabods return to Topeka for one last game of 2023 against Northeastern State at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 19.  

Both teams got off to hot starts offensively going back and forth. Mackenzie Gamble knocked in a layup with 4:44 left in the quarter to give her seven quick points and put Washburn (7-3, 2-2) up 12-9. Less than a minute of game time later Missouri Western (8-3, 4-2) tied the game at 14. They continued the hot start, shooting 9-13 in the quarter to lead 24-19 at the end of the first.  

The Griffons pushed the lead to seven early in the second before the Ichabods started to chip away. Madelyn Amekporfor hit a 3-pointer to spark a 9-2 Washburn run, tying the game up at 33 on a triple from Aniah Wayne. The Ichabods were able to take the lead with 3:01 left in the quarter on a pair of free throws by Lakyn Schieferecke and held the lead until Missouri Western went on a 5-0 run to end the half leading 44-41.  

The Griffons took the momentum from the final play of the first half into the second, shooting 50% as a team in the third quarter. Washburn was able to keep it close, cutting the lead down from eight back to three with 3:56 left in the quarter on a jumper by Aubree Dewey. A pair of free throws by MWSU with 1:29 pushed the lead into double digits for the first time. Dewey knocked down a triple in the final minute to make it 69-61 going into the fourth.  

Missouri Western began the fourth on a 4-0 run to go up by 13 points and the lead never got below 10 the rest of the way. The Griffons led by as many as 20 and would win by 20, 98-78. 

Washburn got solid offensive production, shooting 38.3% from the floor, going 8-18 from behind the arc and knocking down 24 free throws. Missouri Western created the difference in the game with its shot-making, shooting 60.3% for the game while making nine 3-pointers and going 19-23 from the line. The Griffons got 15+ point advantages in bench production and points in the paint to decide the game offensively.  

Four players from Washburn finished in double figures led by Dewey who had 18 points to go along with three assists and a pair of steals. Aniah Wayne made three 3-pointers on her way to 15 points while adding three steals. Yiibari Nwidadah had 13 points on 4-8 shooting with six boards and Mackenzie Gamble added 10 points.  

Jayme Jackson led a quartet of Griffons to score in double digits with a game-high 20 points on 7-11 shooting. 

ABOUT THE NORTHEASTERN STATE RIVERHAWKS

• The RiverHawks are 4-5 on the year and 1-3 in MIAA play after a 58-44 loss to Rogers State on Dec. 13
• Northeastern State went 6-20 overall in 2022-23 with an 3-19 mark in the MIAA and did not qualify for the MIAA Tournament. 
• On the year the RiverHawks are averaging 62.2 points on 40.4% shooting overall and 33.1% from deep. 
• Opponents are averaging 63.7 points on 39.5% shooting and 30.9% from behind the arc. 
• NESU is 0-3 away from the NSU Event Center this season. 
• Northeastern State has been narrowly out-rebounded this season averaging 2.2 less per game than opponents. They also average 1.3 more turnovers than the opposition. 
• Halie Jones is averaging 14.0 ppg to lead the RiverHawks offense. She shoots 43.8% from the floor and 45.2% from deep with 19 triples on the year. She has played in all nine games with eight starts averaging 30.3 mpg. 
• Courtney Lee grabs a team-high 5.6 rpg while scoring 10.6 ppg, second most on the squad. She averages 1 spg as well. 
• Tor'e Alford averages 10.4 ppg on 42.1% shooting with 3.4 rpg and is tied for a team lead with 2.1 apg. 
• Tess Talo Tomokino chips in 8.3 ppg on a team-high 51.1% shooting.
• Nine players have started at least one game for the RiverHawks

HEAD COACH KEITH FERGUSON

• is in his first season as head coach since being hired in 2023.
• Comes to Tahlequah following seven seasons as the head women's basketball coach at Bethany College. 
• Prior to joining the Swedes he spent four seasons as an NCAA Division I assistant women's basketball coach splitting his time between Fresno State University and the University of Louisiana at Monroe.
• Was an assistant at Hutchinson Community College (Kan.) during the 2011-12 season when the team finished as the runner-up at the NJCAA Tournament.
• Ferguson graduated from Bethany College in 2011 with a bachelor's degree in business management 

SERIES WITH NORTHEASTERN STATE

• Tuesday will be the 22nd meeting all-time between the Ichabods and the RiverHawks with Washburn leading the series 14-7. 
• The series began March 13, 2010 with a 56-51 win for Northeastern State in a neutral court game in Canyon, Texas. 
• The Ichabods are 8-2 against the RiverHawks in Lee Arena. 
• Both teams split the season series last year, with both teams winning their home games. 

LAST TIME VS NORTHEASTERN STATE

Washburn 61, Northeastern State 49 (1/28/2023)
TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn women's basketball team had nine different players score and the team's defense had a strong showing in the Ichabods' 61-49 win over Northeastern State on Saturday afternoon. The Ichabods will hit the road for the next three games starting at Missouri Western on Wednesday, Feb. 1.

The Ichabods held an 8-6 advantage midway through the first quarter when a free throw from Yiibari Nwidadah started a 7-0 run to extend the lead. Washburn finished the opening period in front, 15-9, and made 9-of-10 at the free throw line. 

Washburn (9-10, 5-8 MIAA) scored five unanswered points in the second quarter and the Ichabod defense held Northeastern State scoreless until the 3:36 mark. The RiverHawks clawed their way back into the game and closed out the first half on a 10-4 run to cut the deficit down to 24-19 at the break. 

Northeastern State (5-14, 2-13 MIAA) came out in the second half firing on all cylinders, making five of their first six shot attempts to even the score at 30 with 6:06 on the clock. Aubree Dewey broke the tie with a jumper that sparked a 12-2 tear to regain the lead, 42-32, with 2:31 left in the third. Heading into the fourth, Washburn led, 44-36.

Gabi Artis made a layup for the first points of the fourth quarter and the Ichabods maintained a double-figure lead for the final 9:35 of the game. Washburn led by as many as 15 and Dewey scored eight of Washburn's 17 points in the frame.

The teams finished the afternoon with nearly an identical shooting percentage as the RiverHawks had a 34.8 field goal percentage and the Ichabods made 34.5 percent. Northeastern State was 4-of-16 from three-point range and Washburn was 3-for-9. Washburn made 32 trips to the free throw line and made 20 foul shots while Northeastern State was 13-of-16. The Ichabods dominated on the glass, outrebounding the RiverHawks, 42-31. The Washburn defense forced 16 turnovers and converted those into 18 points. 

Dewey scored a team-high 12 points, all occurring in the second half. Macy Doebele recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Artis and Nwidadah each contributed nine points. Nwidadah also had nine boards. 

The RiverHawks' offense was led by Ashton Hackler's 21 points. She played all 40 minutes and was 6-for-15 from the field while going 4-of-7 from behind the arc. 

WASHBURN HISTORY

• Washburn women's basketball is 989-481-1 (.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 will get back on the court in 2024 against Central Oklahoma on Jan. 4 in Lee Arena. 
• 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.