TOPEKA, Kan. – The Washburn Ichabod men's basketball team opened the year of 2024 with a bang knocking off the No. 12-ranked Central Oklahoma Bronchos on Thursday night in Lee Arena in a 75-68 win. Washburn returns to action on Saturday hosting Newman at 3 p.m.
 
The Ichabods (8-4, 4-2 MIAA) trailed the Bronchos (12-3, 4-3 MIAA) by one at 60-59 with 5:03 to go, but four free throws by Jack Bachelor and Sam Ungashick pushed the Ichabod lead to 63-60 with 4:28 remaining. UCO cut the lead to one again with a jumper by Danquez Dawsey. With 2:33 left, Michael Keegan nailed a 3-pointer from the corner as the Ichabod margin moved to four followed by a free throw on the Ichabods' next possession by Bachelor stretched the lead to five at 67-62.
 
Dawsey hit a jumper and then Keegan had a jumper of his own as the Ichabods led by five at 69-64 with 1:24 to play, but Dawsey hit another layup trimming the UCO deficit to three with 1:14 to play. However, the Ichabods outscored the Bronchos 6-2 in the final 71 seconds going 4 of 6 from the free throw line with Bachelor scoring the five of the six down the stretch to lock up the third-straight win for the Ichabods and the second-straight loss for UCO.
 
The Ichabods led 34-33 at the break after shooting 45 percent from the field holding UCO to 34 percent including 5 of 12 from deep. Washburn held UCO to 36 percent shooting in the second half and 2 of 9 from deep.
 
Bachelor led the Ichabods with 19 points with 13 coming in the second half. He finished 12 of 18 from the free throw line. Ungashick scored 16 points hitting three 3-pointers and Keegan finished with 15 on 7 of 9 shooting from the field. Keegan had six boards and Andrew Orr had six points and five assists, one shy of his career-high – also set against Central Oklahoma on Feb. 11, 2023.
 
Jaden Wells scored a game-high 22 points on 5 of 20 shooting and Dawsey finished with 17.
 
Washburn outrebounded UCO 40 to 34 turning 12 offensive rebounds (four by Keegan) into 13 second-chance points. The Ichabods also had a 19 to 5 advantage in fastbreak points.
 
 
Notes:
• The 18 free throw attempts by Jack Bachelor was the most in the Brett Ballard era and the most since Will McNeill attempted 18 against Central Missouri on Feb. 8, 2012.
• Brett Ballard moved to 7-0 in home against Central Oklahoma in the win.
• The win was the third in a row over UCO and the fourth in the last five games.
• The win also marked the second-straight game the Ichabods scored 75 in a win over UCO.