TOPEKA, Kan. – For the fourth time in program history and for the first time since 2001 the No. 5-ranked Washburn Ichabods are off to the Elite Eight after a 93-65 win over No. 17-ranked MSU Moorhead in a sold out Lee Arena on Tuesday night. Washburn will now face Lenoir-Rhyne, the winners of the Southeast Region on March 25 at 8:30 p.m. CST in Evansville, Ind. in the NCAA National Quarterfinals.
The Ichabods and the Dragons started out on a helter skelter pace as the first media timeout of the game was not taken until the 12:51 mark as the Ichabods started 10 of 12 from the field including a perfect 5 of 5 from deep while the Dragons were 5 of 8 overall as Washburn (29-3) built a 25-15 lead.
Washburn continued to build its lead, but the Dragons (25-9) cut down the margin to five with 2:37 left before the Ichabods took a 47-41 lead into the break.
Through the first 10 minutes of the second half, Washburn outscored the Dragons 28 to 8 continuing to light the nets hitting 10 of 17 shots while holding MSU Moorhead to 3 of 12 shooting pushing out to a 75-49 lead. Another 9 to 2 run by the Ichabods stretched the lead to 21 enroute to a game high 32 with 1:56 to play at 93-61 as Washburn closed out the home slate with a perfect 16-0 mark at home in what will be the final game in Lee Arena as it looks now as a major renovation is set to take place at the conclusion of the season.
The Ichabods were led by
Brayden Shorter who scored a game-high 21 points hitting 5 of 9 3-pointers adding a team-high nine rebounds.
Jacob Hanna scored 19 with six rebounds and
Andrew Orr finished with 17 points on 8 of 9 shooting from the field.
Jack Bachelor recorded a double double with 16 points and 10 assists.
Carson Johnson led the Dragons with 17 points.
Washburn shot had identical halves of shooting in the game going 18 of 32 in both frames from the field finishing at 56 percent for the contest. The Ichabods were lso 12 of 25 from deep for the game hitting 9 of 10 free throws. The Ichabods held the Dragons to 25 of 57 shooting (44 percent) and 6 of 19 (32 percent) from deep in the game.
Following the game, Orr and Bachelor were named to the all-tournament team along with Hanna, who was named most outstanding player of the regional. MSUM had Jacob Jennissen and Johnson on the team and Concordia-St. Paul's Antwan Kimmons was also named to the all-region team.
Notes:
• The meeting with Lenoir-Ryne will be the first between the two schools in program history.
• The Ichabods are 19-16 in the NCAA Tournament.
• The Ichabods are 8-3 in home games and 16-13 overall in the NCAA regional.
• Washburn reached the 2001 NCAA Championship game falling to Kentucky Wesleyan 72-63 on March 24 in Bakersfield, Calif.
• The Ichabods also reached the NCAA Elite Eight in the 1993, 1994 and 2001 seasons.
