By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Saturday's 78-72 Washburn double-overtime Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association victory over Central Missouri included big individual offensive performances for both teams, including eight individual scorers who notched between 11 and 21 points.
But 7 -- the number of steals registered by Ichabod junior Jeremiah Jones -- was just as big as Washburn improved to 11-0 overall and 3-0 in the conference.
Junior Jeremiah Jones scored 13 points and had seven steals in Washburn's 78-72 double-overtime MIAA victory over Central Missouri on Saturday. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
A 6-foot-3 transfer from Mary, Jones scored 13 points in Saturday's win, but it was his seven steals that were his personal highlight of the day and a key factor in the Ichabods' come-from-behind win.
"It's just based off my instincts,'' Jones said. "I'm really watching people's eyes and trying not to gamble too much and give up easy plays, but just play my game.''
Jones leads the nation in total steals with 37 and is ranked seventh in steals per game at 3.36 per contest. Jones recorded a school-record eight in his first game as an Ichabod to open the season.
"I would rather get a steal than a shot, honestly, that how it feels for me,'' Jones said. "When I get a steal, it's a rush.''
"He's a great athlete and he's got great anticipation,'' Washburn coach Brett Ballard said. "And what I'm really proud of with JJ is that he's become better on the ball and then off the ball he's just got a knack for getting those steals.''
The Ichabods will now step out of MIAA play, traveling to San Antonio, Texas for the annual River City Holiday Classic.
Washburn will face No. 4 ranked Lubbock Christian at 11 a.m. on Tuesday before wrapping up the 2025 calendar year with a 1 p.m. contest on Wenesday against No. 8 ranked West Texas A&M.
Ballard said Saturday's thriller against the Mules should give the Ichabods a boost heading into this week's top-10 matchups.
"We've won some games in the 90s and we can do that, but sometimes in some of these games, especially in the MIAA, you're going to have to grind a few out and I think we showed that,'' Ballard said. "And just the response on a night when offensively it was kind of janky, our guys stayed resilient on the defensive end and that was good and I'm proud of them.''
Lubbock Christian fell for the first time this season in an 87-83 loss at Cameron last time out, dropping its record to 9-1 on the season.
The Ichabods lead the all-time series with the Chapps 1-0 after winning the only meeting on Nov. 26, 2016 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
West Texas A&M is 10-0 after defeating Texas-Dallas 94-82 last time out.
Washburn is 2-1 all-time against the Buffs, falling 98-93 in the last meeting in overtime in Las Vegas in Ballard's second season as the Ichabods' head coach.
The Ichabods are likely to move into the No. 1 ranking in the NABC poll this week after Nova Southeastern fell to Palm Beach Atlantic on Saturday, 88-83.
The Ichabods lead the NCAA Division II ranks in scoring margin at plus 31.2 points per game.
Washburn ranks seventh in field goal percentage at 51.7 percent and is also eighth in assists per game (19.5), seventh in assist/turnover ration (1.68) and first in rebound margin (plus 13.6).
Washburn has not been out-rebounded in a game.
WU sophomore Dillon Claussen is sixth in the nation in field goal percentage at 69.1 percent while junior Jack Bachelor is 16th in the nation in total assists with 55 and fourth in assist to turnover ration at 3.93 to 1.
The Ichabods' 11-game winning streak is second in the nation behind Daemen, which has won its last 12.
Amondo Miller, Jr. leads Lubbock Christian with a 22.6 scoring average while hitting 20 of 43 3-point attempts. Kendal Dow is averaging 14.9 points while Antonio Pusateri is scoring 13.5 points per game, Alex Anamekwe is 12.2 points and Lucas Mercandino 11.2.
Undefeated West Texas A&M owns three wins over MIAA foes this season, posting an 87-75 win over Missouri Western, a 76-70 win over Pittsburg State and an 81-70 win over Central Oklahoma.
Fontaine Williams leads the team in scoring at 19.0 points per game, hitting 19 of 49 3-point attempts, while Brock Mishak is averaging 10.8 points, Camden Cowgill 10.7 and James Parlow, Jr. 10.6 points per game. Williams is a Wichita native and transferred from Barton County as did Parlow.
The Ichabods return to MIAA play on Jan. 3, hosting Emporia State.
