By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University women's basketball opens its final homestand of the season Thursday night, hosting Central Oklahoma at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday in Lee Arena for Pink Out night.
Junior Yibari Nwidadah leads Washburn with 17 points and 7.7 rebounds a game entering Thursday's home MIAA contest against Central Oklahoma. [File photo/TSN]
Junior Payton Sterk is averaging 16.6 points and has hit 58 3-pointers for 14-11 Washburn entering Thursday's game against UCO. [File photo/TSN]
Each player will wear a custom warm up shirt featuring the player's name, number, signature and the Stormont Vail Logo. A silent auction for each of the custom shirts will be held to raise money for the American Cancer Society.
There will also be 200 Pink Out shirts given out for free, first come, first serve. Cancer screening info will be provided at the game via Stormont Vail & The American Cancer Society.
Washburn is 14-11 on the year overall and 8-7 in the MIAA after defeating Northeastern State 62-52 last Saturday. Central Oklahoma improved to 7-17 overall and 6-9 inside the MIAA after defeating Rogers State 74-44 last Saturday.
The Ichabods, 13-16 last season, were picked to finish ninth in the MIAA Preseason Media Poll and were tabbed 10th by the coaches. Washburn is ranked No. 5 in the latest KPI standings which are used for seeding in the MIAA Tournament.
Junior Yibari Nwidadah is averaging 17.0 points and 7.7 rebounds while also shooting a team-high 66.5 percent from the field. The Olathe North product has started all 23 games she has played in, logging 27.7 minutes per game and has shot at or above 50 percent in all but three games and has six double-doubles.
Nwidadah has the best field goal percentage in the nation while ranking fourth in the MIAA in scoring average and fifth in rebounding average. She has 15-plus points in 15 games this year.
Nwidadah's career field goal percentage of .591 is the best in program history and with 215 career offensive rebounds she is seventh all-time at WU. She needs two more offensive boards to move up to sixth. In overall rebounds she is 14th in Washburn history with 569.
Junior Payton Sterk is averaging 16.6 points while starting all 25 contests and playing a team-high 31.0 minutes per game. The Colorado Springs native is shooting 43.3 percent from the floor and a team-high 40.8 percent from deep while drilling a team-high 58 3-pointers.
Sterk has 15-plus points in 13 games this year and ranks second in the MIAA in total points, second in 3-point percentage and ranks fourth in total 3-pointers. She is 16th nationally in 3-point percentage.
Junior Gabi Giovannetti is third on the team in scoring at 11.4 points per game while shooting 40.0 percent from the floor. The Bishop Miege product has started all 25 games playing 27.6 mpg. She is second on the team with 42 made 3-pointers. Among MIAA players Giovannetti is ninth in total 3-pointers and 11th in triples per game.
Giovannetti is 16th in program history with 107 career 3-pointers made. She needs two triples to move into the top 15.
Korie Allensworth leads Central Oklahoma with a 12.9 scoring average on 39.0 percent shooting. She has played and started 23 games while grabbing 6.1 rebounds a game.
Lakysia Johnson is averaging 12.0 points for the Bronchos on a team-high 51.0 percent shooting. She has played all 24 games with nine starts and is seventh in the MIAA in field goal percentage.
Jordyn Turner scores 11.0 points per game on 46.0 percent shooting overall and 48.1 percent from deep with 13 makes. She grabs a team-high 9.1 rebounds per game, ranking second in the MIAA.
Washburn leads the all-time series against Central Oklahoma 15-12. The two teams split the season series a year ago, with each team winning at home.
The home finale for the Ichabods will come on Saturday at 1p.m. against Rogers State.
