SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The No. 2-ranked Washburn Ichabods trailed for the first time this season at the break, but turned up the defense and controlled turnovers picked up a 76-62 win over Texas Permian Basin in its non-conference finale improving to 11-0 on the season. Washburn returns to MIAA play at Central Missouri on Saturday afternoon in Warrensburg.
Washburn (11-0, 2-0 MIAA) trailed by as many as nine in the first half, its largest deficit of the season, with 1:45 to go in the half before the Ichabods closed the frame on a 7-2 run to enter the locker room trailing first time this season at the half at 36-32 in an opening 20 minutes that saw the Ichabods turn the ball over eight times leading to eight points for the Falcons. Overall there were nine lead changes in the first half. The Ichabods trailed 18 to 14 on the glass in the first half.
The Ichabods outscored the Falcons 17 to 9 in the first 5:15 of the second half to take a 49-45 lead as
Jack Bachelor scored eight of the Ichabods' points starting out. The Falcons (8-3) took their last lead of the game with 12:03 to play on a 3-pointer by Alex Matthews en route to a game-high 26 points, at 51-50 before
Andrew Orr gave the Ichabods a 52-51 lead.
Washburn would go on to lead by as many as 14 points in the second half holding the Falcons to 9 of 25 shooting while the Ichabods headed up from 44 percent to 57 percent in the stanza outscoring UTPB by 18 in the second half leading to the 14-point win.
Orr led the Ichabods with 16 points scoring 14 in the second half and Bachelor scored all 14 of his points in the second half.
Brayden Shorter went 5 of 6 from deep scoring 15 points while
Jacob Hanna finished with 12 and
Brady Christiansen had 10.
Michael Keegan scored four points adding a game-high nine rebounds and four assists. Hanna had six points and five assists as well.
Matthews was the only Falcon in double figures finishing with 26 going 10 of 17 from the field.
Washburn was 10 of 16 from 3-point range in the game hitting 5 of 7 attempts in the second half. The Ichabods shot 51 percent for the game (29 of 57). The Falcons were 42 percent for the game for the field (23 of 55).
