TOPEKA, Kan. -- After beginning on the road Washburn will bring MIAA competition to Lee Arena for the first time in the 2023-24 season on Saturday against Rogers State at 1 p.m. 
 

OPENING TIP

• Washburn women's basketball opens up its home slate of MIAA contests on Saturday against Rogers State 
• The Ichabods will face the Hillcats at 1 p.m. in Lee Arena on Saturday, Dec. 9. 
• Washburn is coming off a 60-57 loss to Emporia State last Saturday in Emporia.  
• WU is now 5-2 overall on the year with an 0-1 record in the MIAA. 
• They have gone 2-0 at home, 2-1 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. 
• Rogers State is off to a 0-3 start in MIAA play but are 4-4 on the year after a 80-71 loss at Emporia State on Wednesday night. 
• 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 80.6 ppg on 47.6% shooting from the floor and 39.9% from deep. 
• Opponents average 56.6 ppg on 33.4% shooting and 23.8% from behind the arc. 
• Last season Washburn averaged 57.6 ppg and shot 37.4% from the floor and at a 30.4% clip from deep. While opponents scored 60.8 ppg on 38.8% shooting.  
• The Ichabods are pulling down 41.6 rpg while holding opponents to just 31.7 rpg. They also average 15.9 apg while opponents only average 8.9. 
• Washburn extended its three point streak to 77 games with four 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

• Aubree Dewey paces the Washburn scoring attack at 13.6 ppg on 48.7% shooting. She also while leading the passing game averaging a team-high 6.7 apg. From the point guard position Dewey is second on the team averaging 5.0 rpg and has come away with 1.7 steals per contest this season as well. Dewey leads all players at 31.0 mpg. 
• Yiibari Nwidadah is averaging a double-double for the Ichabods and has picked up one in five games this season. She is second on the team averaging 13.1 ppg while also pulling down a team-best 11.3 rpg including 4.3 orpg. Nwidadah also leads WU shooting 62.1% from the floor.
• Gabi Giovannetti is scoring 11.0 ppg in just 19.8 mpg after missing the first two games of the year. 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 11.6 ppg this season in 25.1 mpg with six starts. She also pulls down 3.5 rpg. Wayne is shooting 41.9% from behind the arc and leads Washburn with 18 triples this season.
• Lakyn Schieferecke has started all seven games for Washburn playing 20.6 mpg. She is averaging 5.6 ppg on 50.0% shooting and is pulling down 4.0 rpg with 0.7 spg. 
• Amaya Davison is averaging 7.1 ppg off the bench on the year shooting 45.0% from the floor. She is 44.4% from three point range in 19.6 mpg. 
• Mackenzie Gamble has made one start and is averaging 22.9 mpg so far. She is scoring 6.4 ppg, dishing 2.4 apg with 0.9 spg. She is second on the squad at 46.4% from behind the arc this season. 
• Liz Boyd is averaging 7.4 ppg in just 11.7 mpg while shooting 55.9% from the field. She's also pulling down 3.7 rpg off the bench.
• Madelyn Amekporfor has started all but one game averaging 17.3 mpg and is scoring 5.7 ppg  on 40.5% shooting with 0.9 steals per game. 
• Nia McKenzie has made one start and appeared in every game playing 7.4 mpg.
• Rebecca Snyder is scoring 1.6 ppg with 2.3 rpg playing 6.7 mpg with appearances in every game.

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 449-124 all-time in Lee Arena. 

STACKING THE STATS

• WU is 7th in the nation in scoring margin as they have outscored teams by an average of 24.0. points per game. 
• Washburn is 9th nationally in field goal percentage at 47.6. That number is good for first among MIAA teams. 
• On the defensive end the Ichabods are 10th in the nation in field goal percentage defense with opponents shooting a combined 33.4%. That ranks second in the conference.
• Washburn is crashing the glass and is 18th nationally in rebound advantage pulling down 9.9 more boards per game than opponents. 
• The Ichabods are 11th in the nation in efficiency from deep shooting 39.9% for the year, the best mark in the MIAA. 
• Washburn is also first in the conference and 23rd nationally in defending the three point line holding opponents to 23.8% shooting from behind the arc. 
• Aubree Dewey ranks fifth in the nation in total assists with 47 on the year and is second in assists per game at 6.7. Both numbers are first among MIAA players. 
• Yiibari Nwidadah is first in the MIAA and 6th nationally averaging 11.3 rpg. She is also 10th in the nation in field goal percentage at 62.1% which puts her first in the conference. 
• Nwidadah is tied for second nationally with five double doubles on the season. 
• Aniah Wayne is number three in the MIAA in total 3-pointers made with 18, she is 52nd in the nation. She is 46th nationally in 3-pointers per game. 

MILESTONE MARKERS

• Aubree Dewey is 13 assists away from 250 in her career. 
• Mackenzie Gamble needs 10 more triples to reach 100 in her Ichabod career. 
• Gabi Giovannetti is four points away from 250 career points. 
• Lakyn Schieferecke reached the 100 career points mark in the last game and is now six rebounds away from 100 as well. 

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

Emporia State 60, Washburn 57 (Dec. 2, 2023)
EMPORIA, Kan. -- Washburn led through three quarters but an early fourth quarter run by Emporia State led to the Ichabods falling 60-57 to open MIAA competition. There will be a full week before Washburn is back on the court, hosting Rogers State on Dec. 9 at 1 p.m.  

The Ichabods (5-2, 0-1) got off to a strong start thanks to holding the Hornets to 0-12 from the floor to begin the game. Wasbhurn was able to jump ahead 11-6 with 3:07 left in the first quarter after an and one by Liz Boyd. Emporia State (3-3, 1-0) went on an 8-1 run to take the lead before the Ichabods tied it up at 14 to end the quarter.  

Cold shooting fell upon Washburn in the second quarter as they shot 4-14. The Hornets scored the first bucket of the quarter and stayed ahead for the remainer of the half with 6-0 and 5-0 runs boosting the lead up to as many as six. An old fashioned three point play was converted by ESU to conclude the scoring for the half and put them in the lead 30-25.  

After making only eight field goals in the entire first half the Ichabods shot 8-12 in the third quarter alone. The hot shooting gave them a lead at 35-34 with 6:11 left after a Lakyn Schieferecke 3-pointer. A fastbreak layup by Gabi Giovannetti pushed the lead up to five with 2:13 left in the period before Emporia State responded with a quick five-point burst. Aburee Dewey put Washburn back up 45-43 with two free throws at the quarters end.  

After the score was tied at 47 early in the fourth quarter the Hornets went on an 8-2 run to lead by six with 4:00 left in the game. The next basket came from Aniah Wayne with 2:16 left in the game to cut the lead down to four. A 3-pointer by Wayne would cut the lead down to three but the Ichabods never got closer than that, falling 60-57.  

Washburn outshot Emporia State hitting 38.9% of its shots while holding the Hornets to 33.3% shooting. The deficit in percentages was made up by Emporia State grabbing a 45-36 rebounding advantage. The Hornets had an advantage at the line, knocking down 16-24 free throws while the Ichabods made just 11-19 at the charity stripe.  

Yiibari Nwidadah grabbed a third straight double double with a team-high 15 points coupled with 10 rebounds on 7-10 shooting. Aniah Wayne and Liz Boyd each added nine points for Washburn with Boyd going a perfect 3-3 from the floor.  

Emporia State had a trio of players finish in double figures led by Katie Horyna who had 14 points and had five of ESU's six assists for the game.

ABOUT THE ROGERS STATE HILLCATS

• The Hillcats are 4-4 on the year and 0-3 in MIAA play after a 80-71 loss to Emporia State on Wednesday. 
• Rogers State went 5-23 overall in the 22022-23 season with a 3-19 mark in the MIAA, missing out on the MIAA Tournament. 
• On the year the Hillcats are averaging 75.4 points on 42.2% shooting overall and 34.2% from deep. 
• Opponents are averaging 55.0 points on 35.5% shooting and 30.4% from behind the arc. 
• RSU is 0-1 away from Claremore this season with just one road contest so far. 
• Rogers State averages 11 more rebounds than opponents this season while also dishing out 5.9 more assists and committing 5.5 less turnovers per game. 
• Alayzha Knapp leads the Hillcats in scoring at 19.7 ppg on 48.2% shooting from the floor and 40% from deep. She also pulls down 6.0 rpg and comes away with 1.3 bpg and 1.0 spg on the defensive end. 
• Alyza Aikins is second on the squad in scoring at 9.0 ppg on 48.1% shooting. She also dishes out 3.6 apg and is making 3.0 spg. 
• Trinity Jackson leads Rogers State in rebounding at 6.9 per game. She also chips in 7.7 ppg on a team high 56.8% from the field. 
• Kaya Goldsby posts an average of 4.1 assists per game to lead RSU. She also chips in 7.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg and 2.3 spg. 
• Rogers State has used the same starting lineup in every game. 

HEAD COACH HEATHER DAVIS

• is in her first season as the head coach of the Hillcats after being hired in June, 2023.
• arrived on College Hill from Southwestern Oklahoma State where she served as the top assistant coach for one year
• Prior to her stint in Weatherford, Davis spent eight years as an assistant at Central Oklahoma under UCO Hall of Fame Coach Guy Hardaker. She spend two seasons as a graduate assistant at UCO before taking over the full-time role in the summer of 2014. 
• She started her college career at Division I Kansas City and played two years there. Earned her bachelor's degree in criminal justice in May 2012 and her master's in criminal justice management and administration in May 2014.

SERIES WITH ROGERS STATE

• Saturday will be the 8th meeting all-time between the Ichabods and the Hillcats with Washburn leading the series 5-2. 
• The series Feb. 15, 2020 with an 80-53 victory for Washburn in Claremore, Okla. 
• The Ichabods are 2-1 in Lee Arena against Rogers State
• Last year Washburn swept the season series with 55-45 and 60-53 wins. 

LAST TIME VS ROGERS STATE

Washburn 60, Rogers State 53 (Jan. 26, 2023)
TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn bench came through with 31 points including 18 in the fourth quarter as the Ichabods defeated Rogers State on Thursday evening, 60-53. The Ichabods will close out the homestand on Saturday afternoon against Northeastern State.

Both teams got off to a sluggish start as Rogers State (4-16, 2-12 MIAA) scored the first points of the evening on a free throw at the 6:28 mark. Washburn (7-10, 3-8 MIAA) answered with a 5-0 run before Rogers State reclaimed the lead with a 7-0 scoring stretch. Emma Chapman went 2-for-2 at the free throw line with 19 seconds to go in the period to level the score at 8-all.

The Hillcats made a layup early in the second quarter to go back in front, but the Ichabods put together an 8-2 run over the course of three and a half minutes to lead, 16-12. Rogers State trimmed the Washburn lead to one, 16-15, with 1:24 left in the opening half, but the Ichabods scored seven unanswered points in the final minute to hold a 23-15 lead at halftime. Aubree Dewey capped off the scoring burst with a buzzer-beating deep three-pointer just past half court.

The Ichabods used an 8-0 run to build a double-figure lead midway through the third quarter, leading by as many as 11 points twice. At the end of three, Washburn was up, 39-31.

It was a high-scoring fourth quarter for both sides and Washburn finished the frame shooting a blistering 72.7 percent (8-of-11). After the Hillcats chipped away at the deficit and pulled within four points on three occasions, Chapman made a layup with 4:23 remaining to start a 7-1 run capitalized by a three-pointer by Natalia Figueroa to make it 52-42 in favor of Washburn with 2:35 to go. Rogers State kept fighting back and got within three points twice in the final 90 seconds, but could get no closer. Dewey made the last four points for Washburn, sinking two free throws and then grabbing and finishing with the layup.

The Ichabods shot 35.7 from the field while the Hillcats shot just slightly higher at a 36.2 clip. Both teams made three triples in the game with Washburn taking one more attempt, going 3-of-14 from deep. At the free throw line, Washburn was 17-of-25 and Rogers State made 16-of-20. The Ichabods outrebounded the Hillcats, 37-32, and grabbed 18 offensive boards and turned those into 11 second chance points. Washburn also scored 18 points after forcing 24 turnovers.

Nine of the 10 Ichabods who played scored. Nwidadah notched her second double-double of the season with a career-high 13 points and tied a career-best with 13 rebounds. Macy Doebele was 4-of-6 from the field and 4-for-5 from the free throw line to add 12 points. Dewey dished out a career-high nine assists, which ties for the eighth-most assists in a single game at Washburn, and had seven points. 

Rogers State's Trinity Jackson made 6-of-10 from the field and had a team-high 12 points. 

WASHBURN HISTORY

• Washburn women's basketball is 987-480-1 (.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 head back out on the road for a two game swing in Missouri beginning with the Bearcats on Wednesday, Dec. 13 at 5:30 p.m. 
• 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.