The No. 2 ranked Washburn Ichabods turned a two-point first-half deficit into a dominant 28-point victory Thursday night in Lee Arena, defeating Nebraska-Kearney 92-64.
Marcus Glock came off the bench to tie for game-high scoring honors with 15 points, including three 3-pointers, in Washburn's 92-64 win over Nebraska-Kearney. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Bryson Smith scored 15 points and grabbed six rebounds in Washburn's 92-64 win over Nebraska-Kearney Thursday night. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
The Ichabods improved to 9-0 overall and 1-0 in conference play after erasing a 41-39 halftime deficit with a 53-23 second half.
Nebraska-Kearney (4-4, 0-1) controlled much of the first half, building its largest lead of seven points at the 14:59 mark.
Washburn responded with a 9-0 run midway through the period, highlighted by Marcus Glock's 3-pointer and Bryson Smith's transition basket, to briefly take the lead.
The Lopers regained momentum late in the half behind Clayton Moore and Kendrick Gilbert, who combined for 17 first-half points, and went into the break ahead by two.
But the second half was all Washburn.
The Ichabods opened the half with a 7-0 spurt to reclaim the lead and then delivered the knockout blow with an 11-0 run.
"We've still got to get off to better starts,'' Washburn coach Brett Ballard said. "We dig ourselves a hole again and we need to be better the first five and we just didn't rebound the ball in that first half. We had 10 rebounds as a team and they had six offensive rebounds to our one in the first half.
"The second half I thought we were much better rebounding the ball and I thought our depth really paid off. We wore them down and the last 15 minutes of the game we kind of forced them into some tough shots and offensively we were able to get into the paint and to the rim more.''
Washburn's relentless pace produced 26 fast-break points and 54 points in the paint for the game. The Ichabods also dominated the glass, grabbing 40 rebounds to UNK's 33, and converted nine offensive boards into 16 second-chance points.
Soiphomore Glock came off the bench to lead Washburn with 15 points on 5 of 10 shooting, including three 3-pointers, while senior Bryson Smith also had 15 points and added six rebounds.
"I'd say the biggest thing is to just come in and bring energy and play as hard as I can for the minutes that I'm in,'' Glock said. "My teammates did a great job of finding me today and I was lucky enough for them to go in.''
Sophomore Dillon Claussen contributed 13 points, four rebounds, and two blocks while sophomore Tyson Ruud, who had fought through injuries the previous two years, came off the bench to record his first double-double with 13 points and a team-high 10 rebounds.
"It feels amazing,'' Ruud said. "I feel like I'm in a good spot physically and mentally right now and I'm playing with tons of gratitude out there and I'm just happy to be on the floor after a long two years.''
No. 7 WU set to tip off NCAA volleyball bid against No. 4 Wayne State
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The NCAA Volleyball Tournament begins for No. 7-ranked Washburn volleyball at 11 a.m. Thursday in Kearney, Neb., with the Ichabods facing off with No. 4-ranked Wayne State in a Central Region quarterfinal.
No. 7-ranked Washburn volleyball will open its NCAA Tournament bid at 11 a.m. Thursday against No. 4 Wayne State. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn is making its 19th appearance in the NCAA Tournament as the No. 6 seed in the Central Region and will face the No. 3 seeded Wildcats.
Wayne State College enters the tournament with a 27-4 record on the year after going 19-1 in the NSIC regular season. The Wildcats fell 3-1 to No. 11 St. Cloud State last time out in the semifinal round of the NSIC Tournament on Nov. 21.
The Ichabods head into the national tournament with a 26-4 record overall after posting a 13-3 mark inside the MIAA. Washburn dropped a 3-0 decision to Nebraska-Kearney in the MIAA Tournament championship on Nov. 22.
Washburn remains No. 7 in the most recent AVCA poll released on Nov. 24. The Ichabods received 886 total points in the poll.
MIAA Player of the Year Austin Broadie leads Washburn with 326 kills (3.23 per set) while hitting .312, third best on the team. She has started all 30 matches and also has racked up 67 blocks with 64 digs. The senior has 16 double-digit kill matches and ranks fifth in the MIAA. She is fifth among conference players in points per set and kills per set.
Bella Limback is slashing a team-high .457 with 202 kills (2.04 per set) while starting all 30 matches. She has also added 115 blocks (1.16 per set), also a team high, and served 13 aces. She has hit over .400 in 20 matches this season with four double-digit kill efforts. She is second in the nation and MIAA in hitting percentage. She is also is fifth in the MIAA in blocks per set and 31st in the nation.
Corinna McMullen has started all 30 matches this season and leads Washburn with 631 assists (6.36 per set). She has also chipped in 30 service aces, tied for the most on the team, while ranking second on the team with 265 digs (2.65 per set). The senior has delivered 17 matches of 20-plus assists with 12 double-doubles. She ranks eighth in the conference in assists per set.
Taylor Rottinghaus leads the Ichabods with 430 digs (4.26 per set). She has chipped in 112 assists while serving 30 aces as well, tied for the most on the team. The junior has five matches making at least 20 digs. She ranks seventh in the MIAA in digs per set and in total digs.
Delaney Miller leads Wayne State with 387 kills (3.83 kills per set) while hitting .292. She has played in 30 matches making 14 starts and is adding 50 digs with 22 blocks.
Washburn women set to open MIAA play at home against Lopers
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
![Senior Payton Sterk is averaging a team-high points with 3-pointers for Washburn, which opens MIAA play at home Thursday against Nebraska-Kearney. [File photo/TSN]](/images/PaytonSterk2025-2.JPG)
Senior Payton Sterk (20) is averaging a team-high 14.3 points with 16- 3-pointers for Washburn, which opens MIAA play at home Thursday against Nebraska-Kearney. [File photo/TSN]![Senior Yibari Nwidadah is averaging 12.3 points and a team-high rebounds for Washburn, which opens MIAA play at home Thursday against Nebraska-Kearney. [File photo/TSN]](/images/YibariNwidadah2025-1.JPG)
Senior Yibari Nwidadah is averaging 12.2 points and a team-high 6.7 rebounds for Washburn, which opens MIAA play at home Thursday against Nebraska-Kearney. [File photo/TSN]Senior Payton Sterk leads the Ichabods with a 14.3 scoring average while starting every game and playing a team-high 29.0 minutes per game. Sterk is averaging 2.2 steals and has made 16 3-pointers, which both also lead the team. She has scored 14-plus points in four games this season. Sterk ranks third in the MIAA and 34th nationally in 3-pointers, fifth in the MIAA in three-point percentage and fourth in steals.
Nwidadah averages 12.2 points in just 22.8 minutes per game and leads the team with 6.7 rebounds a game while also shooting 53.4 percent from the floor. She is first in the MIAA in field goal percentage.
Senior Gabi Giovannetti averages 10.7 points and is shooting a team-high 44.4 percent from deep with 12 3-pointers, second most on the team. She also averages 4.5 rebounds and is second in the MIAA and 38th nationally in 3-point percentage and eighth in the conference in triples per game.
