TOPEKA, Kan. -- Playing at home for the final time this season Washburn women's basketball hosts Rogers State at 1 p.m. on Saturday. 
 

OPENING TIP

• Wrapping up the regular season at home Washburn women's basketball faces Rogers State. 
• The Ichabods will face the Hillcats inside Lee Arena on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 1:00 p.m. 
• Saturday is the annual SAAC Teddy Bear Toss which will occur duing halftime of the men's game. Fans can bring a teddy bear to the game or purchase one at the door for $5. All stuffed animals will be donated to the local Toys for Tots. 
• Washburn is 15-11 on the year and 9-7 in the MIAA after defeating Central Oklahoma 75-60 on Thursday evening. 
• 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. They are ranked No. 5 in the latest KPI standings which are used for seeding in the MIAA Tournament.
• Rogers State fell to 7-18 overall and 1-15 inside the MIAA after losing 66-57 last time out on Thursday. They are on a 12-game losing streak. 

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME

• The 2024-25 season marks the 41st season of play in Lee Arena as the facility opened in the 1983-84 season.
• Washburn is 464-130 all-time in Lee Arena. 

BODS AND BITS

• Washburn returns seven letterwinners from last season's roster while adding seven total new faces with five incoming freshmen and two junior transfers rounding out the 14-player roster.  
• The five freshmen are flanked by three 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 73.5 ppg on 44.9% shooting overall and 32.3% from behind the arc. 
• They are grabbing 38.0 rpg while giving out 13.7 apg. On the defensive end they come away with 7.9 spg and swat away 3.0 bpg. 
• Opponents average 66.3 ppg on 40.3% shooting and 30.6% from deep. 
• Washburn is 8-2 inside of Lee Arena while going 5-7 in road contests and 2-2 in neutral court games.  
• Washburn made five triples against Central Oklahoma to extend its streak with a made 3-pointer to 123 games. 
• Saturday's contest against Rogers State will be the 10th meeting between the two teams. 

BLUE REPORT

• Payton Sterk is second on the team scoring 16.7 ppg while starting all 26 contests and playing a team-high 31.1 mpg. She is shooting 43.5% from the floor and a team-high 40.4% from deep while dishing out 2.3 apg and grabbing 3.5 rpg. The Colorado Springs native has drilled a team-high 59 3-pointers. She has 15+ points in 14 games this year. Sterk is 2nd in the MIAA in total points, 3rd in 3-point percentage and ranks fourth in total 3-pointers. She is top-60 nationally in all three categories including 18th in 3-point percentage.
• Yiibari Nwidadah leads the team offensively scoring 16.8 ppg while also shooting a team-high 66.5% from the field. She grabs a team-best 7.7 rpg and swats away 1.0 bpg. The junior has started all 24 games she has played in logging 27.4 mpg. She has shot at or above 50.0% in all but three games and has six double-doubles. The Olathe, Kan. native has the best field goal percentage in the nation while ranking 4th in the MIAA in ppg, 5th in rpg and 9th in bpg. She has 15+ points in 15 games this year. 
• Gabi Giovannetti is third on the team in scoring at 11.5 ppg while shooting 40.2% from the floor. The junior has started all 26 games playing 27.8 mpg. She is adding 3.0 rpg with 2.3 apg while snagging 1.1 spg. She is second on the team with 42 made triples. Among MIAA players she is 9th in total 3-pointers and 11th in triples per game. 
• Madelyn Amekporfor is scoring 7.0 ppg on 44.0% shooting while starting 24 of 25 games that she has appeared in, logging 26.0 mpg. She is grabbing 5.1 rpg while adding 2.1 apg. On the defensive end she comes away with a team-high 1.3 spg. She has a steal in the last five games. 
• Brooke Gomez has played in all 26 games making 25 starts in her freshman season logging 20.4 mpg. She averages 4.5 ppg while adding 2.8 rpg and 1.1 spg. Her 2.8 apg are a team-high. 
• Aniah Wayne is scoring 6.4 ppg in 18.2 mpg off the bench while playing in 24 games. She is shooting 36.5% from the floor while adding 3.0 rpg. Her six games with double figure scoring off the bench leads the team. 
• Amaya Davison has played in all 26 games and started two logging 15.5 mpg. She scoring 4.0 ppg on 44.2% shooting while giving out 1.3 apg and grabs 1.6 rpg. 
• Nia McKenzie has played in 25 games while making one start averaging 15.0 mpg. She is grabbing 3.8 rpg and scoring 3.5 ppg on 46.0% shooting. 
• Rebecca Snyder has played in 15 games with two starts logging 10.4 mpg and scoring 2.2 ppg with 2.0 rpg.  
• Emajin McCallop has played in 20 games scoring 1.1 ppg across 8.5 mpg.  
• Willow Gideon has played 7.3 mpg across 13 appearances while scoring 3.2 ppg on 48.1% shooting. 
• Lauren Luebbert has logged 7.1 mpg of action in 16 appearances off the bench. 
• Cloie Jansky has played in six games scoring 2.0 ppg in 4.8 mpg. 

STAT STACKING

• The Ichabods are shooting 44.9% from the floor as a team, third best in the conference and 20th in the nation. 
• Washburn is 30th nationally scoring 73.5 ppg, fourth highest mark in the conference. 
• With a scoring margin of +7.2 they have the fourth best mark in the conference and 73rd in the nation.
• In overall rebound margin Washburn ranks 48th nationally and fourth in the MIAA at +5.5.
• Giving out 13.7 apg the Ichabods are fifth in the conference and 93rd nationally when it comes to sharing the rock. 
• With 38.04 rpg the Ichabods are sixth in the MIAA at cleaning the glass.
• Washburn attacks the basket and gets to the line averaging 22.08 free throw attempts per game, 2nd most in the MIAA and 18th in the nation.

ADVANCED STATS

• Brooke Gomez has the highest AST% on the team at 23.7% meaning she accounts for 23.7% of all assists when on the floor. Gabi Giovannetti is second at 16.9%. 
• Yiibari Nwidadah grabs 16.0% of total rebounds when on the floor, a team high. Nia McKenzie is second at 14.5%. 
• Payton Sterk's true shooting percentage is 57.4% taking into account free throws and an extra point on 3-pointers. She has the biggest jump of any player from standard field goal percentage. 
• Yiibari Nwidadah has the highest true shooting percentage at 66.3%. 
• Washburn has a team offensive rating of 100.5 ppg and a defensive rating of 90.7 ppg which are based on per 100 possessions. 

MILESTONE MARKERS

• With 216 career offensive rebounds Yiibari Nwidadah is tied for 6th in program history. She needs seven more rebounds to enter the top-five. In overall rebounds she is 14th in Washburn history with 576. 
• Her career field goal percentage of .592 is the best in program history. In scoring she ranks 34th with 908 career points. 
• Gabi Giovannetti is 16th in program history with 107 career 3-pointers made. She needs two triples to move into the top-15. 
• Payton Sterk currently sits 9th in single-season three-point percentage in program history shooting 40.4% from beyond the arc. 
• In single-season 3-pointers made she is 14th with 59 so far this season.

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 39-44 record with Washburn and is 116-122 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 75, Central Oklahoma 60  (February 20, 2025)
TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn outscored Central Oklahoma by 16 points in the middle two quarters to defeat the Bronchos 75-60. The Ichabods will wrap up the regular season inside Lee Arena on Saturday at 1 p.m. hosting Rogers State.  

In the first five minutes of the opening quarter both teams traded baskets, with five ties. Three straight points from Yiibari Nwidadah sparked a 7-0 run for Washburn (15-11, 9-7 MIAA) that would put them in front by five. Central Oklahoma (7-18, 6-10 MIAA) ended the quarter with a jumper to make it 20-17 after one.  

A 3-pointer by Payton Sterk at the 9:39 mark in the second quarter was the only basket for either team in the first four minutes of play. After a layup from the Bronchos with 5:40 to play the Ichabods went on a 12-0 run that began and ended with layups by Brooke Gomez. Central Oklahoma shot just 2-10 in the quarter and got its second field goal at the buzzer on a last second 3-pointer to cut the lead down to a dozen going into halftime.  

The first four points of the second half went to the visitors, cutting the lead to single digits. After a jumper by Niwdadah at the 7:46 mark in the quarter the lead never got below 10 for the remainder of the quarter. Sterk and Nwidadah combined to go on a 9-2 run to end the quarter as the Ichabods shot 61.5% in the frame to lead 53-34 going into the fourth. 

Washburn scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter, going up by 26 with 7:29 left after Willow Gideon knocked down a 3-pointer. Both offenses shot at or over 50.0% in the quarter as the Ichabods stayed in front by more than 20 until the Bronchos ended the game on an 11-0 run that was too little, too late as Washburn eased into a 75-60 win.  

For the game Washburn shot 28-54 (51.9%) while shooting just 5-16 from beyond the arc and 14-26 at the line. Central Oklahoma shot 21-52 (40.4%) and were 8-20 from deep. A 36-29 rebounding advantage and 18-14 turnover advantage helped the Ichabods gain an edge.  

Points in the paint went big to Washburn, 46-24, as did points of turnovers 24-14.  

Payton Sterk led all players with 20 points going 7-14 from the floor with three assists. Yiibari Nwidadah added 13 points with a team-high seven boards and Gabi Giovannetti added 12 points.  

Three players scored in double figures for the Bronchos led by LaKysie Johnson with 15 points.  

ABOUT THE ROGERS STATE HILLCATS

• Rogers State moved to 7-18 overall and 1-15 inside the MIAA after falling 66-57 to Central Missouri in Warrensburg on Thursday. 
• Last season the Hillcats went 10-18 on the year and 5-17 inside the MIAA, missing out on the conference tournament. 
• This season, Rogers State is 6-8 inside of Claremore Expo Center while going 1-10 in road contests and have not played a neutral court game.
• The Hillcats average 60.7 ppg on 38.6% shooting while allowing 62.6 ppg to opponents. They pull down 36.2 rpg while dishing out 11.0 apg.  
• They are third in the MIAA in FG% defense allowing opponents to shoot just 38.0%. With 8.6 spg they are fourth in the MIAA. 
• Ella Hafer has played and started all 25 games while leading the team in scoring at 12.9 ppg and 43.1% shooting. She also grabs a team-high 7.3 rpg along with 1.3 spg. She is 8th in the MIAA in rpg.
• Kate Melton is scoring 7.7 ppg while leading the team with 3.1 apg. She has played in all 25 games, logging a team-high 28.8 mpg. 
• Alyza Aikins chips in 7.1 ppg along with 3.9 rpg. She has started all 25 games logging 27.9 mpg. She also makes a team-high 1.8 spg. 
• Jaiana Wiggins swats away a team-high 1.4 bp while adding 4.9 ppg and 5.7 rpg. 
• Emma Kay Martin adds 6.2 ppg and grabs 2.4 rpg in 20.6 mpg. 

HEAD COACH HEATHER DAVIS

• Is in her second season leading the Rogers State women's basketball program where she has a 17-36 record. 
• Davis arrived on College Hill from Southwestern Oklahoma State where she served as the top assistant coach for one year.
• Prior to her stint in Weatherford, Davis spent eight years as an assistant at Central Oklahoma under UCO Hall of Fame Coach Guy Hardaker.
• She earned her bachelor's degree in criminal justice in May 2012 and her master's in criminal justice management and administration in May 2014.

LAST TIME VERSUS ROGERS STATE

Rogers State 65, Washburn 54  (February 1, 2024)
CLAREMORE, Okla. -- Washburn fell down early and was unable to muster enough offense to overcome the deficit falling to Rogers State 65-54 on the road. The Ichabods finish a four-game road trip against Northeastern State at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. 

Aubree Dewey got the first points of the game on a jumper seven seconds in and after an and-one from Aniah Wayne, Washburn (11-9, 6-8 MIAA) led 5-2 at the 8:40 mark. The Ichabods stayed in front 7-4 before the Hillcats (9-11, 4-10 MIAA) netted seven straight points and would remain in front the rest of the way. Washburn trailed by as many as 12 in the first quarter which saw Rogers State shoot 60% before a Mackenzie Gamble three at the buzzer made it 23-17 at the end of one. 

Yiibari Nwidadah scored a layup for the first two points in the second quarter but it was followed by seven straight from the home team. The next basket for the Ichabods came at the 4:12 mark in the quarter from Liz Boyd. Washburn shot 3-11 in the quarter and the Hillcats forced four turnovers to lead 38-25 at the break.  

Both teams started slow offensively out of halftime, shooting a combined 1-14 at the first media timeout. Madelyn Amekporfor had the lone basket, a layup, at the 5:26 mark. The Ichabods were unable to cut into the lead with Rogers State getting to the free throw line, shooting 9-12 in the quarter. Rogers State pushed the lead to 15 points but the Ichabods cut it down to just nine after Aubree Dewey drilled a 3-pointer in the final minute.  

The score went back-and-forth the opening minutes of the fourth quarter with the lead going between nine and 13 points. A pair of free throws by RSU pushed the lead up to 14 with 5:08 left. Washburn scored the next four points but were not able to get the lead under double digits until there was 1:21 left in the game. The Hillcats knocked down their free throws down the stretch to finish the game with a 65-54 win.  

The Ichabods shot 16-48 (33.3%) in the game and were 18-28 from the line. Rogers State shot just 4-27 in the second half but were 25-32 from the free throw line (78.1%). The Hillcats also won the turnover battle 13-8 and grabbed three more rebounds. There were 52 combined fouls called in the game on both teams.  

Aubree Dewey led Washburn with 19 points, six rebounds and five assists in 38 minutes. Yiibari Nwidadah did not play in the second half with an injury but had eight points and six rebounds in the first half. Aniah Wayne and Liz Boyd each had eight as well.   

Alayzah Knapp led Rogers State with 25 points on 5-13 shooting and a 12-14 performance at the line. Destiny Jones was second on the team with nine points.  

SERIES HISTORY WITH ROGERS STATE

• Washburn leads the all-time series against Rogers State 6-3. 
• They are 3-1 against the Hillcats inside of Lee Arena. 
• The series began on Feb. 15, 2020 with a 80-53 win for the Ichabods in Topeka. 
• Both teams split the season series a year ago, with each team winning at home. 
• The Ichabods average 62.67 ppg all-time against the Bronchos.

WASHBURN HISTORY

• Washburn women's basketball is 1,010-505-1 (.667) all-time and are in the 56th year of the program's history. They became the 11th team to reach 1,000 wins on Dec. 16 after defeating Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras.  
• 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 go back on the road for the final week of the regular season beginning on Wednesday, Feb. 26 against Pittsburg State. 
• The MIAA Basketball Championship Tournament will be held in Kansas City, Mo. at the Municipal Auditorium from March 5-9.