By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After dropping a 76-49 decision at Kansas State in its lone exhibition on Nov. 1, the Washburn Ichabods will officially open their 118th season of men's basketball with a pair of games this weekend at the Central Region Challenge at storied Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo., beginning with a 5 p.m. Friday game against Henderson State before facing Augustana (S.D.) at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
Connor Deffebaugh scored a team-high 11 points in its Nov. 1 exhibition loss to Kansas State. The Ichabods officially open the season Friday against Henderson State in Kansas City, Mo. [File photo/TSN]
Ichabod coach Brett Ballard, who has led Washburn to 20-win seasons and NCAA Tournament berths in four of his five seasons, including a 22-11 mark last season, said it's time to get started and see where WU, which graduated its top three scorers, is and where the Ichabods need to make improvement.
"We've been a liittle inconsistent at times in practice, which you expect a little bit with so many new guys,'' Ballard said. "But we've been more consistent the last week or so and I think that K-State game allowed us to evaluate some film and tighten some things up so I like where we're at from a consistency standpoint and I think ultimately that will help you play better in the games.
"This is a good weekend because you'll play two good quality teams and have a great undertanding of kind of where you're at. You never know how the whole year's going to play out, but certainly this gives you a snapshot of where your team is, where your strengths are, what you've got to continue to work on and I think this will be a great experience for our guys.''
Ballard said he feels like his team learned some things against Kansas State that can benefit the Ichabods moving forward.
"I thought our first-shot defense was really good, I thought we guarded them well in the halfcourt in some spurts, so I was pleased with that,'' Ballard said. "I was concerned with our rebounding. They really pounded us on the glass and they're long and athletic so you expect that a little bit, but rebounding has got to get better and our transition defense wasn't very good.
"Offensively we didn't play great, and their length had a lot to do with that, and they're a good defensive team, I think.''
Washburn reached the second round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs last season before falling to eventual national champion Northwest Missouri.
The Ichabod graduation losses included Tyler Geiman (15.3 points per game, 5.9 rebounds, 6.8 assists), Jalen Lewis (13.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists) and Jonny Clausing (10.6 points, 5.1 rebounds).
Michael Keegan, the 2021-22 MIAA Freshman of the Year, is the Ichabods' leading returning scorer this season, averaging 9.4 points with 6.1 rebounds per game a year ago.
Connor Deffebaugh averaged 9.1 points a year ago while Tyler Nelson, who has been sidelined with an injury, scored 6.5 points per game.
Deffebaugh scored a team-high 11 points against K-State.
Washburn will open its home slate with William Jewell at 7 p.m. next Wednesday in Lee Arena.
Henderson State was selected to finish second in the Great American Conference Preseason Poll while Augustana, No.18-ranked in D-II, was picked fourth in the NSIC South Division and sixth overall.
Augustana took a 72-58 win over Washburn last season.
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