TOPEKA, Kan. – The No. 2-ranked Washburn Ichabods remained unbeaten with an 85–81 win over Rockhurst on Wednesday night in Lee Arena, turning a five-point deficit with 2:29 to play into a four-point win improving to 5–0 on the season. Washburn will return to action on Saturday facing another Great Lakes Valley foe at William Jewell in Liberty, Mo.

The Ichabods' first major push came just over eight minutes into the game. Protecting a slim 6–5 lead, Washburn broke the game open with a 9–0 burst as Jeremiah Jones started the run with a driving finish, and Bryson Smith followed with a steal and layup in transition. Jack Bachelor capped the surge with a floating jumper, as Washburn built a ten-point lead at 15–5. Moments later, Dillon Claussen muscled in a second-chance basket and added two trips to the free-throw line as the Ichabods continued to extend the margin.

The Ichabods shot 54.2 percent in the opening period while holding the Hawks to 36.7 percent, boosting the lead to as many as 11 and taking a 42–34 advantage into the locker room.

Washburn's strongest stretch came early in the second half when it pushed the lead to a game-high 15 at 62–47. Rockhurst responded with its best stretch of the night, using an 11–0 run to quickly close the gap. The Hawks (2-1) hit three 3-pointers in less than four minutes taking a 79-74 lead with 2:29 to go.

From that point on the Ichabods outscored the Hawks 11-2 the rest of the game led by Smith's driving layup with 51 seconds remaining to give the Ichabods an 81–79 lead.

After a key defensive stop, Tyson Ruud stepped to the line and split a pair of free throws to extend the edge by one possession. The Hawks came up empty on the following trip, and when Sam Ungashick secured a steal in the final seconds and sank two free throws with three seconds left, the game was sealed.

Smith led the Ichabods with 22 points on 9-of-18 shooting, six perfect free throws, four rebounds and five assists. Bachelor added 17 points and three assists and Claussen scored 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Ruud came off the bench for 13 points and six rebounds, shooting 3-for-3 from the field and providing toughness on both ends. Jones added 16 points on an efficient 7-of-12 shooting night.

Washburn converted 22 of its 30 shots inside the arc and earned 38 trips to the free-throw line. The Ichabods also held advantages in bench points (24–8), fast-break scoring (15–7) and paint points (44–20).

Drenin Dinkins led the Hawks with a game-high 26 points going 5 of 11 from deep as Rockhurst hit 11 of 24 3-pointers in the game and 24 of 30 free throws.

The Ichabods improved to 40-1 and have now won 35 consecutive home openers.

The Ichabods shot 55 percent from the field and outscored the Hawks 44–20. Washburn also leaned on its transition game, turning defensive rebounds and turnovers into 15 fast-break points.

Overall there were 50 combined fouls called and 68 combined free throws between the two teams. Washburn finished 26 of 38 overall from the line in the contest.