TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn finishes its quick two game trip to the Show Me State on Saturday at 1 p.m. against Lincoln. 
 

OPENING TIP

• Washburn women's basketball finishes its Missouri road swing on Saturday against Lincoln. 
• The Ichabods will face the Blue Tigers at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 13 in the Jason Gymnasium. 
• Washburn is coming off a 84-71 road loss to No. 17 Central Missouri on Wednesday. 
• WU is now 10-4 overall on the year and has gone 5-3 in the MIAA. 
• They have gone 6-0 at home, 3-3 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. 
• Lincoln is 5-9 overall to start the year and are 1-7 in the MIAA after falling to Emporia State 68-62 at home 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. They are currently tied for 6th in the conference. 

BODS AND BITS

• As a team Washburn averages 75.6 ppg on 43.6% shooting from the floor and 37.3% from deep. 
• Opponents average 61.6 ppg on 36.6% shooting and 27.4% from behind the arc. 
• WU is shooting 69.8% from the line this year going 210-301 overall while opponents are 193-261, for a 73.9% clip. 
• The Ichabods are pulling down 41.5 rpg while holding opponents to just 33.7 rpg. They also average 13.0 apg while opponents only average 9.6.
• Washburn extended its three point streak to 82 games with seven triples on Thursday.
• The Ichabods have a 0.9 assist to turnover ratio while opponents average 0.7 assists 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 leads the Ichabod scoring attack at 15.1 ppg on 45.0% shooting from the floor. Dewey dishes out a team-high 5.5 apg and pulls down 5.6 rpg from the point guard position, second most on the team. She leads the team playing 32.7 and snags 1.7 spg. 
• Yiibari Nwidadah is second on the team averaging 13.6 ppg and nearly averages a double double pulling down a team-high 9.8 rpg with 3.8 on the offensive end. She also leads WU in shooting at 58.7% from the floor and is doing so in just 24.7 mpg. 
• Aniah Wayne is averaging double figures, scoring 10.6 ppg this season in 29.9 mpg with 13 starts. She also pulls down 3.3 rpg and is shooting 35.9% from behind the arc, leading the Ichabods with 33 triples. 
• Mackenzie Gamble has made eight starts and is averaging 22.9 mpg. She is scoring 6.8 ppg, dishing 1.7 apg with 2.9 rpg. She is second on the team shooting 44.1% from deep and is 100% from the free throw line. 
• Gabi Giovannetti is scoring 7.6 ppg in 16.6 mpg off the bench in seven games. She has averages of 45.8% from the floor and is shooting a team-high 45.8% from behind the arc. Defensively she has come away with a team-high 0.8 bpg.
• Lakyn Schieferecke has started seven games for Washburn playing 20.9 mpg. She is averaging 5.2 ppg on 42.9% shooting and is pulling down 3.8 rpg .
• Amaya Davison is averaging 6.7 ppg off the bench on the year shooting 40.5% from the floor. She is shooting 35.3% from three point range and plays 20.0 mpg. 
• Madelyn Amekporfor has made seven starts averaging 16.4 mpg and is scoring 5.4 ppg on 42.6% shooting with 0.7 steals per game. 
• Liz Boyd is averaging 5.7 ppg in just 11.6 mpg while shooting 45.3% from the field. She's also pulling down 3.4 rpg off the bench.
• Rebecca Snyder is scoring 1.1 ppg with 1.9 rpg playing 8.7 mpg with appearances in every game and six starts. 
• Nia McKenzie has made one start and appeared in 13 games playing 6.2 mpg and scoring 1.1 ppg.

STACKING THE STATS

• WU is 28th in the nation in scoring margin as they have outscored teams by an average of 14.0 points per game. 
• Washburn is 39th nationally in field goal percentage at 43.6. That number is good for fifth among MIAA teams. 
• On the defensive end the Ichabods are 57th in the nation in field goal percentage defense with opponents shooting a combined 36.6%. That ranks fifth in the conference.
• Washburn is crashing the glass and is 22nd nationally in rebound advantage pulling down 7.8 more boards per game than opponents, third in the MIAA.
• The Ichabods are 10th in the nation in efficiency from deep shooting 37.3% for the year, the best mark in the MIAA. 
• Washburn is third in the conference and 67th nationally in defending the three point line holding opponents to 27.4% shooting from behind the arc. 
• WU is first in the MIAA and 31st nationally shooting 21.50 free throws per game. 
• Aubree Dewey ranks 14th in the nation in assists per game with 5.5, that number is second among MIAA players. She is 9th nationally in total assists with 77. 
• She is also eighth in the conference in field goal percentage at 45.0%.
• Yiibari Nwidadah is first in the MIAA and 23rd nationally averaging 9.8 rpg. She is also 13th in the nation in field goal percentage at 58.7% which puts her second in the conference. 
• Nwidadah is tied for 10th nationally with seven double doubles on the season. 
• Aniah Wayne is second in the conference in three-point percentage among qualified shooters at 35.9%. She is third in the MIAA in three's per game and total 3-pointers made. 
• Mackenzie Gamble is 8th in the conference in total 3-pointers made with 26. 

MILESTONE MARKERS

• Aubree Dewey needs six more steals to reach 100 as an Ichabod. 
• Mackenzie Gamble is only two assists away from recording 100 in her career. 
• Yiibari Nwidadah needs 18 more rebounds to reach 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

Central Missouri 84, Washburn 71 (Jan. 10, 2024)
WARRENSBURG, Mo. -- Washburn trailed No. 17 Central Missouri by double digits after one quarter on Wednesday evening and wasn't able to mount a comeback, falling 84-71 on the road. The Ichabods stay in Missouri, taking on Lincoln at 1 p.m. on Saturday.  

Less than five minutes into the game the Ichabods (10-4, 5-3) faced a double-digit deficit after a layup from UCM (11-3, 5-3) with 5:17 left in the first quarter made the game 15-5. Yiibari Nwidadah had the first five points for Washburn, and added two blocks in the first quarter as well, but Central Missouri was able to get to the line for 11 free throws in the first quarter alone and made every one to lead 25-14. 

The offensive of the Jennies didn't slow down in the second quarter and the lead was pushed to 20 points at the 5:44 mark of the quarter. Aubree Dewey scored eight points for the Ichabods in the first five minutes of the quarter but Central Missouri was able to withstand the scoring by shooting 61.1% in the second quarter. The lead grew to as high as 27 points before Aniah Wayne converted a four-point play with 3:24 left in the half. Washburn still went into the half trailing 53-31.  

The Ichabods began the third quarter on a 10-7 run, getting the lead under 20 on a three-point play from Dewey with 6:45 left in the quarter. After a quick opening stretch, the Ichabod offense slowed down until the final 90 seconds of the quarter with Washburn ending it on an 8-0 run with two triples from Dewey included. Washburn outscored UCM 20-17 in the quarter to trail 70-51 after three.  

The Ichabods began the fourth quarter on a 9-0 run capped by a layup from Dewey to make it a 10-point game with 7:13 to play. The deficit was sliced to seven after Mackenzie Gamble trained a corner 3-pointer at the 5:31 mark. The lead stayed under 10 until a 4-0 run for the Jennies with just over three minutes left. That is where it stayed for the final 180 seconds with Washburn falling on the road 84-71. 

The Ichabods shot 42.6% from the floor and knocked down seven triples, one more than the Jennies. UCM shot 46.2% from the floor and were a perfect 18-18 from the charity stripe. Central Missouri won the turnover battle 13 to seven and scored 24 points off the giveaways while only allowing five.  

Aubree Dewey finished with a career-high 28 points on 11-21 shooting to lead the Ichabods. Yiibari Nwidadah had a double-double with 13 points going 5-7 from the floor with a team-high 11 rebounds along with three blocks. Mackenzie Gamble added nine points on three triples.  

Central Missouri had four players score in double figures led by Brooke Littrell who had 24 points on 9-16 shooting. Olivia Nelson added 14 with three assists.  

ABOUT THE LINCOLN BLUE TIGERS

• The Blue Tigers are 5-9 on the year and 1-7 in MIAA play after a 68-62 loss to Emporia State at home on Thursday evening.
• Lincoln went 7-21 overall in 2022-23 with an 5-17 mark in the MIAA and did not qualify for the MIAA Tournament. 
• On the year the Blue Tigers are averaging 66.6 points on 40.2% shooting overall and 27.7% from deep. 
• Opponents are averaging 72.6 points on 43.8% shooting and 36.8% from behind the arc. 
• LU is 2-4 inside of Jason Gymnasium this season. 
• Linoln has a deficit on the boards this season as they have been out-rebounded by 6.0 rpg. They also average 2.3 less assists per game than opponents. 
• Ashlyn Alloway leads the Blue Tigers scoring 17.2 ppg on 55.6% from the floor while also boasting a 46.2% percentage from deep. She leads Linoln on the boards as well pulling down 7.9 rpg in 33.1 mpg while also coming away with 1.5 spg and making 1.2 bpg. 
• Steph Torres is second on the squad putting in 12.6 ppg on 41.1% shooting. She leads the team with 2.9 apg starting all 14 games. She has made a team-high 25 3-pointers on the year. 
• Saniya Simmons has started eight of 10 contests she has appeared in averaging 6.5 ppg while shooting a team-high 47.4% from behind the arc. 
• AJ Bradley chips in 7.6 ppg on 41.3% shooting and comes away with 2.1 spg in just 19.9 mpg. 
• Alloway and Torres are the only players to start all 14 contests for the Blue Tigers this season. 

HEAD COACH ANDREA MIZE 

• is in her 4th season as head coach of the Lincoln women's team 
• spent the previous two years as the head coach at Central Florida College, where she led the Patriots to 31 victories and a berth in the FCSAA State/NJCAA District tournament
• Prior to taking over at Central Florida College, Mize was an assistant coach at Martin Methodist College for three seasons, helping the RedHawks reach the NAIA national tournament each season
• Mize coached the Indiana Flight AAU team for four years and had her own basketball training company for three years
• Mize played three seasons at Indiana University and graduated in 2015 

SERIES WITH LINCOLN

• Saturday will be the 36th meeting all-time between the Washburn and Lincoln with the Ichabods sweeping the series so far 35-0. 
• The series began Dec. 12, 1980 with a 68-62 win for Washburn in Fremont, Neb.  
• The Ichabods are 18-0 against Lincoln in Jefferson City, Mo. 
• Last season the Washburn won 73-59 in Topeka and claimed a 75-58 victory over the Blue Tigers on the road. 
• The last seven victories have all been by double digits

LAST TIME VS LINCOLN

Washburn 75, Lincoln 58 (February 16, 2023)
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Ichabods led by as many as 28 points and never trailed in Thursday's 75-58 road victory at Lincoln. Washburn closes out its three-game week on Saturday at No. 12-ranked Central Missouri.

Washburn (11-14, 7-12 MIAA) jumped out to a 6-0 start in the game with Emma Chapman scoring all six points. The Ichabods closed out the final 55 seconds of the opening quarter with a pair of free throws and a layup from Macy Doebele to extend the lead to 17-10.

The Ichabods carried their momentum into the second quarter and outscored the Blue Tigers 14-4 leading up to the media timeout with just under the five minutes left in the first half. Lincoln (5-2, 3-16 MIAA) came out of the timeout with a 6-0 scoring run, but Gabi Artis put an end to that with a three-pointer that sparked a run of 10 unanswered points for Washburn to finish out the period in front, 41-20. The Ichabods shot a blistering 81.8 percent from the field (9-of-11) and made 4-of-5 from three-point range in the quarter with Artis making all three of her shot attempts from beyond the arc.

The Blue Tigers put up nine of the first 11 points scored to start the second half and trimmed the deficit to 43-29, but the Ichabods quickly regained control of the game with a 14-0 burst to go up by a game-high 28 points, 57-29, with 2:49 left in the frame. The Blue Tigers closed out the quarter almost exactly how they started with an 8-2 run to cut the Washburn lead to 59-37 heading to the fourth.

Lincoln pulled within 12 with 78 seconds to go in regulation, but would get no closer as the Ichabods capped off the win with a three-pointer from Amaya Davison and a layup by Jaden Newfarmer.

Washburn shot just under 50 percent for the game, finishing at 49.0 percent, and held Lincoln to a 31.7 field goal percentage. The Ichabods made 6-of-13 from behind the arc and the Blue Tigers were 5-for-20 from deep. Washburn made 23 trips to the free throw line and successfully made 19 foul shots while Lincoln was 15-of-22 at the charity stripe. WU dominated on the glass and outrebounded LU, 46-27.

Artis tied a career-high in scoring with 16 points, shooting 5-of-8 from the field and 4-of-6 from three-point range. Chapman made 6-of-11 from the field and tallied 15 points. Aubree Dewey grabbed a career-high nine rebounds to go with eight points. In eight minutes off the bench, Newfarmer recorded career-highs with six points and four boards.

Ashlyn Alloway notched a double-double for the Blue Tigers with 20 points and 11 rebounds.

WASHBURN HISTORY

• Washburn women's basketball is 992-482-1 (.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 to Lee Arena and will take on Missouri Southern at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 17.  
• 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.