TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn women's basketball returns from a week away to take on Central Missouri at 1 p.m. on Saturday to wrap up a three-game stand at home. 
 

OPENING TIP

• Washburn women's basketball wraps up its homestand against Central Missouri. 
• The Ichabods will face the Jennies inside of Lee Arena at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 8. 
• Saturday's contest is also Faculty & Staff appreciation night. 
• Washburn is 12-10 on the year and 6-6 in the MIAA after knocking off Nebraska Kearney 85-78 last Saturday in Lee Arena. 
• 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.  
• Central Missouri fell to 13-10 on the year and 5-7 inside the MIAA after losing 74-64 to No. 8 Fort Hays State last Saturday. 

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 44.7% shooting overall and 31.8% from behind the arc. 
• They are grabbing 38.0 rpg while giving out 14.0 apg. On the defensive end they come away with 8.0 spg and swat away 3.0 bpg. 
• Opponents average 66.8 ppg on 40.7% shooting and 29.8% from deep. 
• Washburn is 6-2 inside of Lee Arena while going 4-6 in road contests and 2-2 in neutral court games.  
• Washburn connected on eight triples against Nebraska Kearney to extend its streak with a made 3-pointer to 119 games. 
• Saturday's contest against Central Missouri will be the 74th all-time meeting between the two teams. 

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 462-130 all-time in Lee Arena. 

BLUE REPORT

• Yiibari Nwidadah leads the team offensively scoring 17.0 ppg while also shooting a team-high 66.7% from the field. She grabs a team-best 7.2 rpg and swats away 1.0 bpg. The junior has started all 20 games she has played in logging 26.9 mpg. She has shot at or above 50.0% in all but two games and has four double-doubles. The Olathe, Kan. native has the best field goal percentage in the nation while ranking 3rd in the MIAA in ppg, 9th in rpg and 10th in bpg. She has 15+ points in 13 games this year. 
• Payton Sterk is second on the team scoring 15.6 ppg while starting all 22 contests and playing a team-high 30.6 mpg. She is shooting 43.3% from the floor and a team-high 39.7% from deep while dishing out 2.3 apg and grabbing 3.5 rpg. The Colorado Springs native has drilled a team-high 46 3-pointers. She has 15+ points in eleven games this year. Sterk is 2nd in the MIAA in total points, 3rd in 3-point percentage and ranks fifth in total 3-pointers. She is top-60 nationally in all three categories.
• Gabi Giovannetti is third on the team in scoring at 11.6 ppg while shooting 41.3% from the floor. The junior has started all 21 games playing 28.0 mpg. She is adding 2.8 rpg with 2.2 apg while snagging 1.1 spg. She is second on the team with 36 made triples. The junior has scored in double figures in six straight games, a career-long streak. Among MIAA players she is 10th in total 3-pointers.
• Madelyn Amekporfor is scoring 7.3 ppg on 44.7% shooting while starting 20 of 21 games that she has appeared in, logging 25.5 mpg. She is grabbing 5.0 rpg while adding 2.3 apg. On the defensive end she comes away with a team-high 1.3 spg. She has at least three steals or three blocks in each of the last three games. 
• Aniah Wayne is scoring 6.6 ppg in 18.1 mpg off the bench while playing in 20 games. She is shooting 39.3% from the floor and 30.3% from deep while adding 2.9 rpg. Her six games with double figure scoring off the bench leads the team. 
• Brooke Gomez has played in all 22 games making 21 starts in her freshman season logging 20.2 mpg. She averages 4.7 ppg while adding 2.9 rpg and 1.1 spg. Her 2.9 apg are a team-high. 
• Amaya Davison has played in all 22 games and started two logging 16.1 mpg. She scoring 4.1 ppg on 41.7% shooting while giving out 1.4 apg and coming away with 0.9 spg.  
• Nia McKenzie has played in all 21 games while making one start averaging 15.3 mpg. She is grabbing 4.0 rpg and scoring 3.6 ppg on 45.5% shooting. 
• Rebecca Snyder has played in 12 games with two starts logging 11.6 mpg and scoring 2.6 ppg with 2.3 rpg.  
• Emajin McCallop has played in 17 games scoring 1.2 ppg across 8.2 mpg.  
• Willow Gideon has played 7.5 mpg across nine appearances while scoring 3.9 ppg on 45.5% shooting. 
• Lauren Luebbert has logged 7.5 mpg of action in 14 appearances off the bench. 
• Cloie Jansky has played in four games scoring 2.5 ppg with 1.0 rpg in 6.0 mpg. 

STAT STACKING

• The Ichabods are shooting 44.7% from the floor as a team, third best in the conference and 19th in the nation. 
• Washburn is 32nd nationally scoring 73.5 ppg, fourth highest mark in the conference. 
• With a scoring margin of +6.8 they have the fourth best mark in the conference and 77th in the nation.
• In overall rebound margin Washburn ranks 51st nationally and fourth in the MIAA at +5.3.
• Giving out 14.0 apg the Ichabods are fifth in the conference and 81st nationally when it comes to sharing the rock. 
• With 37.95 rpg the Ichabods are seventh in the MIAA at cleaning the glass.
• Washburn attacks the basket and gets to the line averaging 22.09 free throw attempts per game, 2nd most in the MIAA and 20th in the nation.

MILESTONE MARKERS

• With 200 career offensive rebounds Yiibari Nwidadah is 7th in program history. She needs 17 offensive boards to move up to 6th. In overall rebounds she is 15th in Washburn history with 535. 
• Her career field goal percentage of .587 is the best in program history. In scoring she ranks tied for 35th with 845 career points. 
• Gabi Giovannetti is 16th in program history with 101 career 3-pointers made. She needs eight triples to move into the top-15. 
• Payton Sterk currently sits 13th in single-season three-point percentage in program history shooting 39.7% from beyond the arc. 
• In single-season 3-pointers made she is 28th with 46 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 36-43 record with Washburn and is 113-121 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 85, Nebraska Kearney 75  (Februaru 1, 2025)
TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn jumped out to an early lead with a hot-shooting first quarter and held on down the stretch for an 85-78 win over Nebraska Kearney. The Ichabods have a week off before finishing out their homestand against Central Missouri next Saturday, Feb. 8 at 1 p.m.  

Yiibari Nwidadah got the scoring started for Washburn (12-10, 6-6 MIAA) and Payton Sterk followed with a triple to go in front 5-0. The Ichabods continued to shoot well from deep, making their next two triples coming from Madelyn Amekporfor and Gabi Giovannetti to make it 15-9 at the 4:44 mark. Washburn continued to light up the nets, shooting 9-13 (69.2%) in the first quarter to build a 25-17 lead.  

To open up the second quarter the Lopers (16-5, 8-3 MIAA) brought the deficit down to five before a bucket inside from Nwidadah and triple by Sterk pushed the lead to double-digits. The lead continued to grow, with Nwidadah scoring six straight points to make it 40-23 with 5:05 left in the half. Nebraska Kearney was able to keep pace, with both teams shooting exactly 7-14 in the quarter. Washburn would head to the locker room with a 44-33 advantage.  

Out of the break the Ichabods got off to a quick start, leading 54-37 after Nia McKenzie converted on an old-fashioned three-point play. The Lopers were able to make up some ground, bringing the lead down to 10 but never into single digits. A jumper from the visitors on the final possession of the quarter made it an 11-point game once again heading to the fourth.  

Washburn held Nebraska Kearney off the board for the first two minutes of the fourht, building the lead to 15 after Giovannetti got a layup to go. After a Nwidadah basket to make it 72-58 with 5:44 remaining the Lopers scored the next nine points, cutting the deficit to just two with 2:01 left. Sterk got a layup to go on the next possession and from that point Nebraska Kearney put Washburn at the line the rest of the way. In the final 40 seconds of the game Sterk was sent to the line five times, and she was able to convert all 10 of her chances to hold off the Lopers comeback bid and secure an 85-77 win.  

The Ichabods finished the game shooting 25-46 (54.3%) overall and were efficient all around shooting 8-15 (53.3%) from deep and 27-34 (79.4%) at the line. Nebraska Kearney shot 30-62 (48.4%) and were held to just 7-26 (26.9%) shooting from deep.  

Washburn narrowly lost the rebounding battle 30-26 but shared the ball well, with 17 assists to just nine for the visitors.  

Payton Sterk finished with her second 30+ point game of the year, scoring 30 on 7-15 shooting and 13-14 at the line along with five assists. Yiibari Nwidadah had 21 points in 21 minutes on a perfect 8-8 shooting. Madelyn Amekporfor had 12 points and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds. Gabi Giovannetti also scored in double figures with 13.  

Four players scored in double figures for Nebraska Kearney, led by Jordan Sears with 20 points. Kia Wilson had 19 to go along with seven rebounds.  

ABOUT THE CENTRAL MISSOURI JENNIES

• Central Missouri is 13-10 on the year and 5-7 in the MIAA after suffering a 74-64 home loss to No. 8 Fort Hays State on Feb. 1. 
• Last season the Jennies went 21-8 overall and 15-7 inside the MIAA. They advanced to the quarterfinal round of the MIAA Championship Tournament before falling. 
• This season, Central Missouri is 8-4 inside of the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center while going 4-4 in road contests and 1-2 in neutral court games.
• The Jennies average 67.7 ppg on 43.4% shooting while allowing 62.6 ppg to opponents. They pull down 37.9 rpg while dishing out 12.8 apg.  
• They are second in the MIAA and 8th nationally at protecting the ball with just 12.6 turnovers per game. They lead the conference shooting 74.5% at the free throw line. 
• Reese Schaaf leads the team scoring 18.7 ppg on 54.0% shooting while also grabbing a team-high 9.7 rpg. She has started all 23 games playing a team-high 34.9 mpg. She leads the MIAA with 11 double-doubles and in rpg, ranking 11th nationally. Her scoring average is also tops in the conference and 22nd in the nation.
• Lauren Frost is scoring 11.3 ppg on 39.7% shooting while playing 34.2 mpg and starting all 23 games. She dishes out a team-high 5.3 apg with 4.7 rpg and 1.4 spg. She has the 2nd most total assists in the MIAA and sixth in the nation. 
• Taylor Weishaar has played all 23 games logging 31.6 mpg as a freshman. She is second on the team scoring 12.4 ppg while shooting 45.7% and grabs 7.7 rpg while making 2.1 bpg. She has the most total blocks in the MIAA and is 10th in the nation.In rebounds, she ranks fifth in the conference.  
• Allie Clevenger is scoring 9.3 ppg while shooting 37.9% and a team-high 37.4% from beyond the arc. She has connected on 40 3-pointers, most on the team, while also adding 2.8 rpg. 
• Cierra Smith is chipping in 6.9 ppg across 21.1 mpg starting in 19 of 23 games played. She adds 2.8 rpg and 1.2 spg. 

HEAD COACH DAVE SLIfER

• Is in his 21st season as the head coach at Central Missouri where he has a 434-189 career record. 
• Among active head coaches, Slifer is the second winningest active head coach in Division II and ranks in the top-10 among all three divisions with his 818 career victories in 35+ years as a head coach.
• Prior to UCM, Slifer was Missouri Western's mentor, where he posted a record of 206-69. 
• Slifer received a bachelor's degree in business administration from Mount Mercy in 1982, and a master's degree in business administration from Eastern Illinois in 1985.   

LAST TIME VERSUS CENTRAL MISSOURI

Central Missouri 85, Washburn 72 (December 21, 2024)
WARRENSBURG, Mo. -- Washburn led early on but was unable to withstand a hot second half from Central Missouri, falling 85-72 in the final game of the 2024 calendar year. The Ichabods return to action on Jan. 4, 2025 against Emporia State on the road.  

After falling behind 7-4 in the opening minutes Washburn (6-7, 0-3 MIAA) went on a 10-2 run beginning and ending with baskets by Madelyn Amekporfor to put them in front. The Jennies (9-5, 1-2 MIAA) scored the next five points to tie things back up but the Ichabod offense built the lead back up, shooting 50.0% in the quarter to lead 19-17.  

A triple in the opening minutes of the second quarter by Amekporfor made it 25-19 in favor of Washburn, the largest lead to that point. The margin grew to seven points on a pair of free throws by Payton Sterk with 2:41 to play in the quarter. In the final minutes of the half Central Missouri outscored Washburn 9-2, tying the game at 35 on three straight free throws in the final seconds before the break.  

Coming out of the half the Jennies sank two 3-pointers in the first 62 seconds to lead by six. It was the start of a 6-6 shooting performance from beyond the arc in the quarter. A triple by Sterk cut the lead back down to five with 5:13 left in the quarter but the next 13 points all went to Central Missouri who scored 31 in the quarter. Yiibari Nwidadah got a pair of buckets to go in the final minutes to cut the deficit back down to 14 heading into the fourth.  

Twice in the first three minutes Washburn got the lead down to 12 points but both times the Jennies responded. In the final two minutes the Ichabods went on a 6-0 run to bring the lead down to eight points as they shot over 50.0% in the quarter. On the other end Central Missouri kept the game out of reach shooting 9-9 at the free throw line in the final quarter to salt the game away and win 85-72.  

Washburn ended the game shooting 29-59 overall (49.2%) but were just 3-13 (23.1%) from beyond the arc. A strong second half from the Jennies brought their shooting percentage up to 45.5% going 30-66. They were 8-19 (42.1%) from three-point range and 17-19 at the line in an all-around efficient performance.  

Central Missouri outrebounded the Ichabods 38-30 for the game, with most of the advantage coming in the second half. Assists also went in the Jennies' favor 17-9. Neither team's benches were very involved scoring the ball, with Washburn's bench crew outscoring UCM's 7-2.  

Madelyn Amekporfor led all scorers with a new career-high 23 points on 9-11 shooting. She was everywhere on the defensive end as well, with four steals and three blocks. Yiibari Nwidadah had 20 points on 9-13 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds to near a double-double. Payton Sterk had 13 points and snagged six rebounds.  

Lauren Frost and Reece Schaaf each scored 21 points to lead Central Missouri. Frost added 10 rebounds and seven assists. Taylor Weishaar had 19 points along with 11 rebounds.  

SERIES HISTORY WITH CENTRAL MISSOURI

• Washburn leads the all-time series with Central Missouri 43-30.
• They have gone 21-12 against the Jennies in Lee Arena. 
• The series began on Jan. 17, 1990 with a 75-66 win for the Ichabods in Topeka. 
• The Jennies have won each of the last five meetings in the series, including a 85-72 win in Warrensburg on Dec. 21 this season. 
• Madelyn Amekporfor had a career-high 23 points on 9-11 shooting in that game and Yiibari Nwidadah had 20.
• The Ichabods average 65.71 ppg all-time against the Jennies. 

WASHBURN HISTORY

• Washburn women's basketball is 1,007-504-1 (.666) 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 head back on the road next week to face new MIAA foe Arkansas-Fort Smith on Thursday, Feb. 13 at 5:30 p.m.
• The home finale for the Ichabods will come on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 1p.m. against Rogers State.  
• The MIAA Basketball Championship Tournament will be held in Kansas City, Mo. at the Municipal Auditorium from March 5-9.