By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University's women's basketball team will open a four-game homestand with a 5:30 p.m. Wednesday MIAA contest against Fort Hays State at Lee Arena.
The Ichabods lost will be looking to get back on track Wednesday night after dropping road games at Missouri Southern and Pittsburg State last week to fall to 7-8 overall and 3-6 in the MIAA
Washburn's Lakyn Schieferecke had a breakout week last week, scoring a career-high 10 points at Missouri Southern and grabbing six rebounds at Pittsburg State. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Fort Hays State (13-6, 8-3 MIAA) has also lost back-to-back games and the Tigers are coming off a tough 53-52 loss to then-No. 19-ranked Nebraska-Kearney.
The Tigers and Ichabods only played once last season and No. 1-ranked Fort Hays State defeated Washburn in Topeka, 72-50, on Dec. 1, 2022 to begin MIAA play. Like last season, Washburn and Fort Hays will only play once this season in the regular season.
Fort Hays State closed out last season with a 30-4 record and was picked second in the MIAA Coaches Preseason Poll while Washburn was voted 10th.
The Ichabods are third in the MIAA in fewest points allowed per game, holding opponents to 57.2 points per game.
WU junior point guard Aubree Dewey is five points away from having 400 in her career after a 20-point effort at Pittsburg State, tying her career-high.
Dewey is the lone Ichabod averaging double figures at 11.0 points per game and is eighth among MIAA players with 3.7 assists per game.
Freshman Natalia Figueroa averages 9.1 points per game and has made a team-high 28 3-pointers. Figueroa hit three treys against Pittsburg last Saturay, marking the sixth time this season she has had three or more 3-pointers in a game.
Macy Doebele averages 7.3 points and 4.9 rebounds and leads the team at the charity stripe with 39 made free throws. Doebele'ss 79.6 free throw percentage ranks ninth in the MIAA.
Emma Chapman has started 11 of 15 games this season and averages a team-high 5.1 rebounds to go with 6.5 points per game.
Lakyn Schieferecke had a career week last week, scoring a career-high 10 points at Missouri Southern and grabbing a career-best six rebounds at Pittsburg State.
Katie Wagner averages 13.2 points and 7.0 rebounds for Fort Hays State and is an 84.6-percent free throw shooter.
Olivia Hollenbeck averages 12.6 points and a team-best 56.9 field goal percentage.
Washburn will continue it homestand at 1 p.m. Saturday against Nebraska-Kearney.
