Brett Ballard's No. 1-ranked Washburn Ichabods will put their 22-game winning streak on the line Saturday at Central Missouri. [File photo/TSN]Washburn is 22-0 overall and 12-0 in the MIAA this season, -one of two remaining undefeated teams in NCAA Division II along with Cal State East Bay after topping Nebraska-Kearney 89-67 last Saturday in Kearney.
The Mules are 17-7 this season and 8-4 in the MIAA and have won their last two games, including a 61-49 win at Fort Hays State last Saturday.
Washburn won the first meeting with the Mules 78-72 in double overtime on Dec. 13 in Lee Arena.
The Ichabods have the No. 1-ranked scoring offense in the MIAA, putting up 88.8 points per game.
Defensively, the Ichabods have the No. 2-ranked scoring defense in the MIAA, allowing 62.5 points per game.
The Ichabods are second in NCAA Division II in scoring margin at plus 27.9 points per game and are ranked second in field goal percentage at 51.7 percent and second in rebound margin at plus 11.5.
Washburn has not been out-rebounded in a game this season and has only been tied twice (Lubbock Christian and Emporia State).
Sophomore Dillon Claussen is ninth in the nation in field goal percentage at 63.2 percent and junior Jeremiah Jones leads the nation in total steals with 73 and is ranked third in steals per game at 3.32 per contest.
The Ichabods' 22-game winning streak is the longest in the nation, ahead of Cal St. East Bay's 20-game winning streak.
Washburn women's comeback falls short in 64-58 loss at Central Missouri
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Sophomore Brooke Gomez (1) scored a game and career-high 23 points in Saturday's 64-58 road loss at Central Missouri. [File photo/TSN] The Jennies (17-5 overall, 11-2 MIAA) jumped in front early, leading 11-6. Washburn (15-7, 8-5) battled to tie the game at 14 after a 6-0 run and bucket by Madelyn Amekporfor at the 1:04 mark of the opening quarter. Central Missouri scored the final four points of the quarter to lead 18-14 after one.
A 5-0 run from the home team pushed the lead to double figures with 5:12 to play in the first half. The Jennies offense knocked down four 3-pointers in the second quarter while shooting 50.0 percent overall as the Washburn deficit grew to 37-25 at the half.
Washburn chipped away at the lead in the third quarter, cutting it down to six points at the 5:32 mark after sophomore Brooke Gomez knocked down a 3-pointer, the first and only trey of the game for the Ichabods.
The Jennies' lead was boosted back to double figures at 49-39 after a triple from Central Missouri with 1:09 seconds left in the quarter.
The offense of Washburn got off to a fast start in the fourth quarter, scoring the first six points, with the final four from Gomez to pull within four.
The deficit was cut down to four once more with 6:07 left but the Jennies fired back with five straight points.
Senior Gabi Giovannetti got an old-fashioned 3-point play with 33 seconds left, once again making it a four-point game. But the next two offensive possessions came up empty for the Ichabods, with the Jennies putting the game away at the free throw line.
Washburn narrowly out-shot Central Missouri from the floor, 44.6 percent clip to 44.2. The Ichabods were 1-14 from deep while the home squad went 7-18.
The Jennies led on the boards, 32-30, while Washburn had a 48-28 advantage in paint scoring.
Gomez led all scorers with a career-high 23 points on 11 of 13 shooting.
Reese Schaaf had 18 points to go along with nine rebounds to lead Central Missouri.
Mules halt No. 1 Washburn basketball's 22-game winning streak, 74-72
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Junior Jack Bachelor led Washburn with 18 points in Saturday's 74-72 Ichabod loss at Central Missouri. [File photo/TSN]
