By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The No. 3-ranked Washburn University men's basketball team will host Peru State in a non-conference contest at 2 p.m. on Saturday in Lee Arena.
Senior Jacob Hanna (5) leads a balanced Washburn offense with a 16.3 scoring average. [File photo/TSN]
The Ichabods moved to 6-0 on the season with an 81-73 home win over William Jewell last Saturday and were ranked No. 3 in the National Association of Basketball Coaches Top 25 poll and fourth in the latest D2 College Information Directors Association poll.
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 ranked No. 3 in the nation was on Nov. 30, 2004.
Peru State is 7-2 after falling at Baker 87-64 on Tuesday and the Bobcats are receving votes in the latest NAIA poll. Peru State won the last meeting with the Ichabods, taking a 76-72 win over Washburn in Lee Arena on Jan. 2, 2017. Washburn leads the all-time series 14-2.
Senior Jacob Hanna led five double-figure scorers for the Ichabods against William Jewell with 19 points and added eight rebounds and six assists while finishing 9 of 10 from the free throw line.
Sophomore Brayden Shorter had 18 points, Jack Bachelor 14 and Andrew Orr and Brady Christiansen 12 apiece for WU, with Christiansen also grabbing seven rebounds.
Washburn senior Andrew Orr (24) is 23 points away from reaching the 1,000-point mark for his Ichabod career. [File photo/TSN]
Orr needs 23 points to become the 28th member of the Ichabod 1,000 point club.
Senior Michael Keegan has 826 career points as an Ichabod and he has moved into sixth all-time at Washburn in career blocks with 83.
All five Washburn starters are averaging in double figures, with Hanna averaging 16.3 points, Shorter 16.0, Orr 15.2, Bachelor 12.0 and Keegan 10.5 points.
Christiansen averages 7.3 points off the bench and leads Washburn with 7.8 rebounds a game while Bachelor leads the Ichabods with 28 assists and Keegan has 17 steals.
Washburn coach Brett Ballard is 2-0 against Peru State, with both wins coming as Baker's head coach.
Carlos Hines leads the Bobcats at 14.1 points per game and Devin Tomlinson is averaging 11.9 points while pulling down a team-high 6.6 rebounds per game.
The Washburn-Peru State men's game is the opener of a men's-women's doubleheader, with the Ichabod women facing Sterling at 4 o'clock.
The Ichabods will open MIAA play at Nebraska-Kearney on Dec. 5 and at Fort Hays State on Dec. 7.
