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No. 2-ranked Ichabods outlast Mules in double overtime, 78-72, improve to 11-0
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University men's basketball's most experienced player came through huge when it mattered the most Saturday in Lee Arena.
Senior Brady Christiansen scored 8 of his 12 points in the second overtime as Washburn outlasted Central Missouri, 78-72. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Senior Brady Christiansen, who has played 104 games in an Ichabod uniform, scored eight of his 12 points in the second overtime period as the Ichabods outlasted Central Missouri 78-72 to improve to 11-0 overall and 3-0 in the MIAA.
Christiansen, who also grabbed a game-high eight rebounds with three assists, scored five straight points in the second OT to put Washburn in front 69-63 with 2:51 remaining in the second five-minute extra session and later drained a huge 3-pointer to give the Ichabods a 74-69 advantage with 59 seconds left.
"I kind of just got lost in the moment,'' Christiansen said. "I'm still a little bit lost for words right now, but I think when the team needed plays I was ready to step up.
"It's someone else's night every night, but credit to how tough we played on defense I think that was what really kept us in the game because we didn't shoot it worth a lick. They got 72 points in two overtimes and that's really good defense and coach is proud of that. It was a really good team-effort win.''
Washburn coach Brett Ballard wasn't surprised that his 6-foot-7 frontliner, who has been a steady performer for the Ichabods since his freshman season, came through in the clutch.
"He's always consistent and he really rises in big moments,'' Ballard said. "He made a huge shot in Florida when we needed it early in the season and this game those plays late, he's not afraid of that moment. He's put the time into it and I'm really happy for him because he's just been consistent for us for four years.''
The No. 2-ranked Ichabods erased multiple deficits, including a seven-point deficit with five minutes left in regulation and a five-point deficit in the first OT, to pull out their 22nd straight home victory.
The Ichabods finished the game with a decisive 15-9 advantage in the second overtime after the teams were deadlocked at 63 following the first extra period.
Washburn trailed by as many as seven points in the first half but closed the opening period strong and carried that momentum into the second half, where the game tightened into a possession-by-possession battle.
Washburn shot 42.3 percent in the second half and forced key turnovers late to send the game to overtime tied at 56.
Both teams scored 7 points in the first overtime to force a second extra session.
Washburn took control for good in the second overtime.
Sophomore Dillon Claussen led Washburn with 21 points in Saturday's 78-72 double-overtime win over Central Missouri. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Sophomore Dillon Claussen opened the period with a free throw and followed with strong finishes at the rim as part of a game-defining 9-0 run that stretched the lead to six.
Claussen capped the run with a fastbreak dunk off a Jeremiah Jones steal to push the margin to 78-69 in the final seconds.
Junior Jack Bachelor scored 16 points in Washburn's 78-72 double-overtime win over Central Missouri. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Junior Jeremiah Jones scored 13 points and had seven steals in Washburn's 78-72 double-overtime MIAA victory over Central Missouri. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Claussen led all Washburn scorers with 21 points, adding seven rebounds, four assists and four blocks in 40 minutes. Bachelor chipped in 16 points while Jones finished with 13 points and seven steals.
Tyson Ruud provided a spark off the bench with nine points and seven boards.
Daniel Allen, Baylee Ayres the Dan Key Farmers Agency Rising Stars of the Week
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural junior boys swimming standout Daniel Allen and Seaman freshman girls basketball player Baylee Ayres have been selected by the Dan Key Farmers Insurance Agency as the Rising Stars of the Week.
The Dan Key Agency will recognize top Shawnee County underclassmen throughout the bulk of the 2025-2026 school year.
Here's a brief look at the recent accomplishments of Allen and Ayres over the past week.
Daniel Allen, Washburn Rural
DANIEL ALLEN, Washburn Rural
After a season away from high school swimming, Allen has returned to post seven wins and a second-place finish in eight races for Washburn Rural to open the 2025-2026 season.
Allen opened the season in last week's Topeka West Invitational with individual wins in the 200-yard freestyle and 100 butterfly while also swimming on the Junior Blues' winning 200 free relay and runnerup 400 free relay.
Allen followed that up with four wins in Wednesday's Hayden Invitational, winning the 200 individual medley and 100 freestyle and swimming on Rural's winning 200 medley and 200 free relays.
Baylee Ayres, Seaman
BAYLEE AYRES, Seaman
After making her high school debut with four points in a season-opening loss to Piper, Ayres followed that up with a game-high 14 points on Tuesday as Seaman picked up its first victory of the season in a 65-18 United Kansas Conference romp past Lansing.
Ayres, who did not enter the game until the second quarter, connected on 5 of 7 field goal attempts and hit 4 of 6 free throws against the Lions.
No. 4-ranked Chargers ride dominant first three quarters to 71-57 win over No. 2 Vikings
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka West boys basketball coach Christian Ulsaker wasn't happy that his team was outscored 23-6 by Seaman in the fourth quarter of Friday's United Kansas Conference game.
Topeka West senior Keimani Paul scored 15 first-half points in the Chargers' 71-57 UKC road win over No. 2-ranked Seaman. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
"I told them that fourth quarter's going to give me nightmares tonight,'' Ulsaker said. "I wasn't overly pleased with it and I said, 'Guys, when you come off the bench you guys are not just role players you're part of this team and we've got to make sure we finish the game where we started.'
"But I was pretty happy with the game other than that.''
And thanks to a dominant performance by the Chargers over the first three quarters, the finish was little more than a coaching talking point as No. 4-ranked Topeka West stayed unbeaten with a decisive 71-57 road win over No. 2-ranked Seaman.
Topeka West, now 3-0 overall and 2-0 in the UKC, never trailed on the night after exploding out of the gate with a 30-point opening quarter to take command at 30-11.
The Chargers hit about everything they put up over the first eight minutes, including four 3-pointers.
"We were shooting about 70 percent from the field over the first two games and I said, 'That's pretty unrealistic to maintain,' but I think after watching the film we might still be shooting 70 percent from the field,'' Ulsaker said.
The Chargers' pace slowed down somewhat in the second quarter, but West outscored the Vikings 15-10 to take a huge 45-21 advantage to the locker room at the half as seniors Keimani Paul and Malakyah Duncan combined for 25 points.
West continued to pour it on in the third quarter, leading by as many as 33 points and forcing a running clock over the final eight minutes with a 65-34 advantage.
