TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn women's basketball will return to the capitol city on Monday, Nov. 25 when they take on Lincoln at 6 p.m. inside of Lee Arena for the first time this season. 
 

OPENING TIP

• Washburn women's basketball will finally play inside of Lee Arena during the 2024-25 season on Monday against former MIAA foe Lincoln. 
• The Ichabods will take on the Blue Tigers at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 25 inside of Lee Arena. 
• Washburn is 2-4 on the year after winning its second straight contest by 22-points with a 81-59 win over Truman State on Friday. 
• They are coming off a 13-16 season in 2023-24, finishing 10th in the MIAA with an 8-14 record in the conference and advancing to the first round of the MIAA Tournament.
• The Ichabods were picked to finish 9th in the MIAA Preseason Media Poll and were tabbed 10th by the coaches.  
• Lincoln will enter the match 1-0 on the year after defeating Harris Stowe 58-42 in Jefferson City, Mo. on Nov. 13. 

BODS AND BITS

• Washburn returns eight letterwinners from last season's roster while adding seven total new faces with five incoming freshmen and two junior transfers rounding out the 15-player roster. 
• The five freshmen are flanked by four sophomores and a junior class that is six players deep. It is the first roster without a senior going back to the 1980's. 
• The Ichabods are scoring 72.3 ppg on 44.1% shooting overall and 29.6% from behind the arc.
• Opponents average 70.0 ppg on 43.6% shooting and 32.0% from deep.
• They are grabbing 35.0 rpg while giving out 13.7 apg. On the defensive end they come away with 8.3 spg and swat away 3.8 bpg.
• Washburn is 2-2 in road contests and 0-2 in neutral court games while having not played a home game yet. 
• Washburn hit nine triples against Truman State to extend its streak of games with a made triple to 104 games.
• The Monday contest against former MIAA foe Lincoln will be the 38th meeting between the two teams all-time. 

BLUE REPORT

• Yiibari Nwidadah leads the team offensively with 15.8 ppg while also shooting a team-high 69.4% from the field. She grabs a team-best 7.0 rpg and swats away 1.7 bpg while snagging 1.2 spg. The junior has started all six games playing 28.3 mpg. She has shot over 50.0% in every game this season and last time out had the team's first double-double of the season. 
• Payton Sterk is second on the team in scoring at 15.8 ppg while starting all six contests and playing a team-high 30.2 mpg. She is shooting 44.2% from the floor and a team-high 41.2% from deep while dishing out 3.2 apg, most on the squad. She has a team-high 14 3-pointers with nine coming in the last two games where she is averaging 23.5 ppg.
• Gabi Giovannetti is scoring 12.0 ppg while shooting 42.0% from the floor and 100.0% at the free throw line. The junior has started all six games playing 28.5 mpg. She is adding 2.5 rpg with 2.2 apg, 1.0 spg and 0.8 bpg. She is second on the team with 11 made triples with five in the last two games.
• Madelyn Amekporfor is scoring 7.3 ppg on 47.1% shooting while starting in all six games and playing 24.3 mpg. She is grabbing 3.8 rpg with 2.0 apg and on the defensive end making 1.2 spg and 0.7 bpg. 
• Aniah Wayne is scoring 8.0 ppg while shooting 35.9% from the floor and 30.8% from deep off the bench. She is logging 19.0 mpg while playing in all six games and pulling down 2.8 rpg and making 1.2 spg. Her three games with double figure scoring off the bench lead the team.
• Brooke Gomez has played in all six games making five starts in her freshman season logging 19.8 mpg. She averages 4.0 ppg while adding 2.2 rpg, 1.7 apg and 0.8 spg. 
• Rebecca Snyder has came off the bench in all six games playing 12.2 mpg and is scoring 3.0 ppg with 3.3 rpg. Last time out she scored a career-high nine points on 4-4 shooting.
• Amaya Davison has played in all six games and started one logging 14.5 mpg. She is giving out 1.5 apg and coming away with 1.2 spg while scoring 3.0 ppg. 
• Nia McKenzie has played in all six games averaging 10.2 mpg off the bench while grabbing 2.5 rpg and scoring 1.5 ppg.
• Emajin McCallop has played in four games scoring 1.3 ppg across 8.5 mpg. 
• Lauren Luebbert and Willow Gideon have each played of the bench for an average of less than 5.0 mpg this season. 

MILESTONE MARKERS

• With 163 career offensive rebounds Yiibari Nwidadah is 11th in program history. She is five rebounds away from moving up to No. 10. In overall rebounds she ranks 32nd in Washburn history with 433. 
• Her career rebounding average of 7.5 rpg is sixth highest in program history. With an average of 2.8 orpg she has the third highest offensive average of any Ichabod. 
• Gabi Giovannetti is tied for 26th in program history with 76 career 3-pointers made. She will move up to 24th with three more triples. 

HEAD COACH LORA WESTLING

• Lora Westling is in her third season as head coach at her alma mater entering the 2024-25 season. She has a 25-37 record with Washburn and is 103-115 at the DII level. 
• Westling comes back to Topeka 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 becoming a head coach Westling had stints as an assistant at Missouri-St. Louis from 2007-10 and Truman State from 2010-13.
• 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 also played one season of soccer for the Lady Blues.

WASHBURN ASSISTANT COACHES

• Assistant coaches Matt Barreiro and Katie Dalton along with student assistant Karly Neufeld round out the coaching staff.
• Barriero enters his second year on the staff. He is a 2005 graduate of Arizona Christian and got his masters from Walden University in 2012. 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 as the head coach at Central Christian College in McPherson, Kan. for two years.
• Dalton joins the staff for the 2024-25 season. She reunites with Westling who she played for at Western Colorado from 2017-22 and was a two-time All-RMAC selection. She graduated from Western Colorado in 2022. 
• She is originally from Magnolia, Texas and has spent time as a head rehabilitation technician and a physical therapy technician.
• Karly Neufeld joins the coaching staff after spending the 2023-24 season on the Ichabod roster.  

LAST TIME OUT

Washburn 81, Truman State 59 (November 22, 2024)
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. -- Washburn picked up its second straight 22-point victory as they dispatched of Truman State 81-59 on Friday morning. After six games on the road to begin they year the Ichabods will return home on Monday, Nov. 25 to face Lincoln at 6 p.m.  

After falling behind 4-2 to start the game Washburn (2-4) got a layup by Nia McKenzie and 3-pointer by Payton Sterk to go in front with 7:20 to play and they would not look back the rest of the way. The Bulldogs (2-3) shot a blistering 60.0% in the first quarter but the Ichabods were able to lead 18-16 after one thanks to extra opportunities and limiting turnovers.  

In the second quarter, it was Washburn that began to light the nets on fire. They started the frame on a 10-2 run to lead by ten after Rebecca Snyder connected on her first career 3-pointer with 7:49 to play in the half. Truman State continued to chip away at the lead and would trail by just four at the 2:04 mark. From that point on the Ichabods closed the half on a 7-0 run with five points coming from Sterk to lead 40-29 at the half. Washburn shot 75.0% (9-12) in the quarter while going 4-6 from beyond the arc.  

There was no rust coming out of the half as the Ichabods went on a 7-2 run to lead 47-31 after an old-fashioned three-point play from McKenzie. Washburn pushed the lead to a game-high 17-points in the third quarter after a triple by Aniah Wayne who had seven points in the quarter. Defensively, the Ichabods held the Bulldogs to 5-14 (35.7%) shooting for a second straight quarter to lead by 15 going into the fourth.  

A deep shot from Sterk and layup by Yiibari Nwidadah pushed the lead up to 20 in the opening minute of the final quarter. The advantage never dipped below 15 the rest of the way with a free throw by Wayne in the final minute making the final deficit a game-high 22 points in the 81-59 victory.  

Washburn shot a season-high 55.0% from the floor while also going 9-22 (40.9%) from three-point land. The Ichabods won the paint battle 46-30 and bench outscored Truman State's 31-15.  

Defensively, Washburn forced 17 turnovers while committing just 12. They also had a 35-30 rebounding advantage and dished out more assists as well, 15-11.  

Payton Sterk delivered her second straight 20-point game scoring 22 on 8-15 shooting and 5-8 from deep. Yiibari Nwidadah had her first double-double on the year with 13 points on 5-6 shooting and 10 boards. Aniah Wayne added 11 points on 4-7 shooting off the bench.  

Jordan Cunningham led the Bulldogs with 18 points on 5-7 shooting and Molly Joyce had 12 points.  

ABOUT THE LINCOLN BLUE TIGERS

• Lincoln is 1-0 on the year after beginning the season with a 58-42 win over Harris Stowe on Nov. 13. 
• The Blue Tigers went 8-20 overall last season while going 4-18 inside the MIAA during their final season in the conference. They missed out on the MIAA Tournament. 
• Lincoln is 1-0 inside of Jason Gym and have not played a road or neutral court game. 
• The Blue Tigers average 58.0 ppg on 30.4% shooting while allowing 42.0 ppg to opponents. They pull down 55.0 rpg while dishing out 8.0 apg. 
• They rank first in the nation in field goal percentage defense with opponents shooting 24.3% after one game. The Blue Tigers are also first in the nation at just 8.0 fouls per game after one contest.
• Hanne Nybo is the leading scorer one game in at 13.0 ppg on 55.6% shooting and is grabbing a double-double with 12.0 rpg. She is playing 32 mpg with one start and also made two blocks. 
• Kiara Cabrera is scoring 12.0 ppg while grabbing 5.0 rpg in just 19.0 mpg. She is shooting 45.5% from the field and 50.0% from deep. 
• Ayreona Carter is scoring 7.0 ppg and grabbing 6.0 rpg from the forward position. She has started the only game and logged 25.0 mpg while shooting 37.5% from the field. 
• Biance Stocks chips in 5.0 ppg with 6.0 rpg and is one of three players averaging 2.0 apg. 
• Isis Sanders started the first game playing 28.0 mpg scoring four points with a pair of rebounds. 

HEAD COACH ADDAE HOUSTON

• Is in his first season as the head coach of the Lincoln women's basketball program. 
• Comes to Lincoln from NCAA Division I institution Northwestern State, where he helped the program record a .714 home winning percentage, the team's best since 2016-17.
• Began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Northwest Missouri State University, from 2007-09.
• Houston graduated from Northwest Missouri in 2007 with a bachelor of science degree in social science education and later earned a master's degree from NWMSU in health and physical education in 2010.

LAST TIME VERSUS LINCOLN

Washburn  71, Lincoln 62 (February 22, 2024)
TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn snapped a seven-game losing streak Thursday evening with a 71-62 win over Lincoln at home. The Ichabods stay at home on Saturday hosting Central Missouri at 1:00 p.m.  

The Blue Tigers (6-19, 2-17 MIAA) got off to a quick start offensively leading 14-9 at the 4:53 mark of the first quarter. The Lead grew to as many as six points before Yiibari Nwidadah ended the quarter on a personal 6-0 run, finishing with 10 points in the first 10 minutes, to leave the game tied at 18.  

In the second quarter Washburn (12-13, 7-12 MIAA) took over on the defensive end, holding Lincoln to 1-11 (9.1% shooting) and just four points in the quarter. Washburn began the second quarter on a 7-0 run capped off by a layup from Gabi Giovanetti with 6:04 remaining before halftime. The Blue Tigers scored their final points of the quarter with 4:21 left and with a fastbreak layup by Aubree Dewey the Ichabods went into halftime up by 14, 36-22.  

After halftime the game slowed down but Washburn was able to continue building the lead at the free throw line, shooting 9-13 in the quarter. A shot from the charity stripe by Giovannetti pushed the lead to 19 with 6:48 left in the quarter. Lincoln was efficient offensively in the quarter shooting 7-15 but never got the lead below twelve and went into the fourth quarter trailing 57-42.  

The Ichabods kept control throughout the middle of the fourth quarter, pushing the lead back up to 17 after Nia McKenzie got a free throw to go with 3:27 left in the game. The next eleven points all came from the Blue Tigers, cutting the lead to just six with 41 seconds remaining. Washburn salted the game away with Gamble, Lakyn Schieferecke and Amaya Davison hitting free throws to give the Ichabods a 71-62 pink out night victory.  

Washburn shot 22-63 (34.9%) for the game while going 23-35 from the line. The Blue Tigers were held to just 17-55 shooting overall (30.9%) but went 25-26 from the line to stay in the game. The Ichabods won the rebounding battle 46-40, and the turnover battle 15-9 to take control in the game.  

Aubree Dewey led all players with 19 points while also dishing out seven assists, making three steals and grabbing six rebounds. Yiibari Nwidadah had 15 points on 7-11 shooting along with nine rebounds and three blocks. Mackenzie Gamble added nine points and six rebounds.  

Four players scored in double figures for Lincoln led by Ashlyn Alloway with a 16 point, 12 rebound double double and Steph Torres with 14 points.  

SERIES WITH LINCOLN

• Washburn leads the all-time series with Lincoln 36-1
• They are 18-0 against the Blue Tigers inside of Lee Arena. 
• The series began on Dec. 12, 1980 with a 68-62 win for the Ichabods in Fremont, Neb. 
• Both teams split the season series last year in Lincoln's final year inside the MIAA. The Blue Tigers won 77-64 in Jefferson City, Mo. while Washburn won 71-62 at home. 

WASHBURN HISTORY

• Washburn women's basketball is 997-498-1 (.667) all-time and are in the 56th 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

• Washburn will play its final home game of 2024 against Sterling College at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 30 inside of Lee Arena.
• MIAA play begins on the road against Nebraska Kearney on Dec. 5 at 5:30 p.m. 
• The MIAA Basketball Championship Tournament will be held in Kansas City, Mo. at the Municipal Auditorium from March 5-9.