By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The No. 2-ranked Washburn University Ichabods return to MIAA play on Saturday, wrapping up 2024 against Central Missouri at 3 p.m. in Warrensburg.
Sophomore Brayden Shorter averages a team-high 17.3 points for 11-0 Washburn, which returns to MIAA action on Saturday at Central Missouri. [File photo/TSN]
The Ichabods are 11-0 overall and 2-0 in the MIAA after going 2-0 at the River City Classic in San Antonio, Texas. Washburn topped St. Edward's 87-67 and Texas Permian Basin, 76-62.
The Mules are 6-5 and 1-1 in the MIAA after splitting two games in San Antonio, falling to Texas Permian Basin 83-60 before rebounding in their final game to top No. 9-ranked North Georgia, 53-52.
The Ichabods were ranked No. 2 in the latest NABC Top 25 coaches poll and third in the latest D2CIDA poll released on Dec. 17. The ranking is the highest by an Ichabod team since earning a No. 2 ranking on Dec. 18, 2012.
The last time the Ichabods were in the top 10 for four consecutive weeks was from Nov. 27, 2012 to Jan. 8, 2013 when the Ichabods were ranked second for four straight weeks and were tabbed No. 8 in week five.
The Ichabods are off to their best start to begin a season since starting the 2003-04 season 16-0 en route to the MIAA regular-season championship.
WU senior Andrew Orr now has 1,035 career points, moving into 21st all time. Next on the chart is Travis Robbins, who scored 1,050 points in two seasons.
Senior Michael Keegan has 866 career points in 107 career games as an Ichabod and he has moved into sixth all-time at Washburn in career blocks with 86. Keegan has also moved into the top 10 on the all-time steal chart with 121.
Sophomore Brayden Shorter is fifth in the nation in 3-pointers per game at 3.82 and he's ranked third in total 3-pointers made with 42.
Shorter leads a balanced Ichabod offense with a 17.3 scoring average, followed by senior Jacob Hanna at 14.7 points per game, Orr at 13.5, sophomore Jack Bachelor at 12.6 and Keegan at 9.4.
Junior Brady Christiansen leads WU with a 6.5 rebounding average, followed by Hanna at 6.4 boards per game.
Bachelor leads the Ichabods with 55 assists while Keegan has a team-high 28 steals.
DeAirius Barker leads Central Missouri in scoring at 12.8 points per game while Tim Jordan Jr. is also averaging double figures at 10.0 points per gam. Four UCM players are averaging at least 8.0 points.
Saturday's meeting will be the 113th between the two teams, with Washburn leading the series 59-53. Washburn lost its last trip to Warrensburg, falling 82-71 on Jan. 10, 2024.
The Ichabods have won 17 of the last 25 meetings, including 10 of the last 12.
The Ichabods will return after the holiday break with a road contest at Emporia State on Jan. 4 before finally returning home for games against Missouri Western on Jan. 8 and Northwest Missouri on Jan. 11.
