By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
No. 1-ranked Washburn University men's basketball continues its four-game road trip on Saturday, traveling to Northwest Missouri for a 3:30 p.m. contest.
Washburn, 15-0 overall and 5-0 in the MIAA, is one of four remaining undefeated teams in NCAA Division II after starting the trip with an 87-75 win at Missouri Western on Wednesday.
Dillon Claussen, Washburn University
The Bearcats are 9-7 overall and 2-3 in the MIAA after falling at home to Central Missouri last time out, 76-72.
The Ichabods have the No. 2-ranked scoring offense in the MIAA (89.4 points per game) and the No. 2-ranked scoring defense (61.5-point average).
Washburn leads NCAA Division II in scoring margin at plus 27.9 points per game and is fifth in field goal percentage at 51.9 percent.
Washburn has not been out-rebounded in a game and has only been tied twice (Lubbock Christian and Emporia State).
Junior Jeremiah Jones is first the nation in total steals with 50 and is ranked second in steals per game at 3.33.
Sophomore Dillon Claussen is fifth in the nation in field goal percentage at 66.9.
Ichabod sophomore Marcus Glock played his freshman season at Northwest Missouri where he started 19 of 28 games, averaging 9.1 points while hitting a team-high 51 3-pointers and averaging 13.5 points in two games against Washburn.
Junior Jack Bachelor is 17th in the nation in total assists with 75 and second in assist to turnover ration at 3.57 to 1.
Claussen scored 16 of his 18 points in the first half in Wednesday's win over Missouri Western, going 6 of 10 for the game and adding eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks.
Senior Sam Ungashick provided a big lift off the bench with a season-high 18 points on 7 of 10 shooting and Bachelor added 16 points and senior Brady Christiansen contributed 13 points and nine rebounds.
The Ichabods' 15-game winning streak is second in the nation behind Daemen, which has won its last 16.
Washburn's 15-game winning streak is the sixth-longest in program history.
Royce Williams leads the Bearcats in scoring at 14.1 points per game while Aiden Gair is averaging 13.1 points while hitting a team-high 41 3-pointers this season and Matthew Mayes averages 12.6 points.
Saturday's meeting will be the 124th between the two schools and Washburn holds a 65-58 lead in the series.
The Ichabods will face Emporia State for the second time in 12 days on Jan. 15 in White Auditorium and then travel to Wichita to take on Newman on Jan. 17.
Washburn will return to Lee Arena on Jan. 21 to face Northwest Missouri.
