By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn University women's basketball team will return home to Lee Arena on Thursday to host No. 7-ranked Central Missouri in a 5:30 p.m. MIAA tilt.
The Ichabods have won back-to-back games for the first time this season and are now 6-5 overall and 2-3 in the MIAA after defeating Central Oklahoma, 75-73, last Saturday.
Junior Macy Doebele (left) scored a career-high 19 points, including a 17 of 20 performance at the free throw line, in Washburn's 75-73 win at Central Missouri last Saturday. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Central Missouri begins the week as one of five teams in NCAA Division II with an unblemished record and is ranked seventh in the WBCA Poll and second in the D2SIDA Poll.
The Jennies are 11-0 overall with a 7-0 mark in the MIAA after holding on for a 55-50 win over Nebraska-Kearney on Monday.
Washburn swept the regular-season series against Central Missouri last year for the first time since the 2010-11 season. Washburn defeated Central Missouri on Dec. 31, 2021 in Warrensburg, 66-59, and then posted a 72-71 comeback triumph in Topeka on Feb. 12, 2022.
The Ichabods have now won three straight against the Jennies, dating back to the MIAA Tournament quarterfinal on March 3, 2021.
Washburn is averaging 55.8 points per game and has a 38.0 field goal percentage.
The Ichabods are second in the league and ninth in all of Division II in fewest points allowed per game as they have held opponents to 54.3 points per game.
Washburn attempted 35 free throws against Central Oklahoma while junior Macy Doebele made a program-best 17 free throws in 20 attempts against the Bronchos.
The previous single-game free throw record-holder was Janice Bright, who made 15 of 15 attempts at Emporia State on Jan. 17, 2009.
Doebele's 20 trips to the foul line are second in the record book for most free throws attempted in a single game, just one behind Dayna Rodriguez's 21 at Pittsburg State on Jan. 13, 2010.
Junior Aubree Dewey filled the stat sheet against the Bronchos, finishing with eight points, a team-high and career-best seven rebounds and a team-best seven assists.
Dewey leads Washburn with a 10.7 scoring average, 3.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game. Dewey also averages 4.0 rebounds.
Freshman Natalia Figueroa is averaging 8.9 points and is tied for the team lead in 3-pointers made with 20.
Junior Mackenzie Gamble has also made 20 3-pointers this season and averages 7.6 points.
Doebele is coming off a career-high 19 points at Central Oklahoma and is averaging 7.5 points and a team-high 5.4 rebounds.
Central Misouri's Brooke Littrell is the reigning MIAA Player of the Week for two consecutive weeks and averages a double-double through 11 games with 19.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game.
Dave Slifer is in his 19th season leading the Jennies and 34th season coaching collegiately. He holds a career record of 759-265, ranking him as the second-winningest active coach in Division II and 13th across all three divisions.
Washburn will close out the first week of 2023 on Saturday, hosting Lincoln at 1 p.m.
