PITTSBURG, Kan. – The No. 2 Washburn put together its most efficient offensive performance of the young season, shooting 61.4 percent from the field and erupting for 53 second-half points in a 95–63 win over MSU Moorhead on Friday night at the Central Region Challenge hosted by Pittsburg State.

The Ichabods (3–0) took control early with balanced scoring and a surge midway through the first half, then broke the game wide open after halftime with an 18–6 burst that pushed the margin to over 20 and never looked back.

After trailing 5–0 in the opening minutes, Washburn responded with an 8–2 run capped by a Bryson Smith fast-break layup. Jack Bachelor provided a spark throughout the period, scoring 13 first-half points highlighted by a pair of transition layups and 8-for-8 perfection at the line. A late stretch in which Washburn scored 11 of 13 points giving the Ichabods a 42–33 halftime lead. Washburn shot 46.9 percent in the opening half while scoring 26 points in the paint, turning eight Moorhead turnovers into nine fast-break points.

The Ichabods came out firing in the second half, ripping off a 7–0 run in the first 70 seconds thanks to a Brady Christiansen corner three and a pair of fast-break scores from Bachelor and Smith. That stretch ballooned the lead to 49–33 and forced an early MSU Moorhead timeout. Washburn kept attacking. Another 9–2 run—capped by a step-back Smith three and a transition layup from Bachelor—extended the margin to 61–38. The advantage reached 32 with 6:20 left, the largest lead of the night, as the Ichabods continued to pile up transition points and dominate the paint.

The second-half numbers were staggering as Washburn shot 80 percent from the field (20-of-25) and 70 percent from three (7-of-10) while scoring 53 points on just 25 shot attempts. At one point in the second half the Ichabods were 18 of 19 from the field.

Bachelor led the way with 23 points on 7-of-13 shooting, including 3-of-6 from deep and a perfect 6-for-6 at the line. Smith delivered a highly efficient 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting with a pair of threes. Christiansen added 11 points and seven rebounds, while Dillon Claussen was a force inside with 15 points, four rebounds, three assists, three blocks, and a +30 plus/minus number. Jeremiah Jones added 11 points, five assists and two steals

For the game, Washburn shot 35-of-57 overall (61.4 percent), 9-of-17 from three (52.9 percent) and 16-of-24 at the line while scoring 52 points in the paint, 22 points off turnovers, 20 fast-break points and 27 points from the bench. Moorhead was held to 40 percent shooting and outrebounded 38–26.

Washburn continues the regional facing Winona State on Saturday in Pittsburg.