By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The No. 5-ranked Washburn University men's basketball team never trailed in Saturday's home non-conference game against William Jewell, with just one tie on the afternoon.
Washburn senior Jacob Hanna scored a game-high 19 points with eight rebounds and six assists in the Ichabods' 81-73 win over William Jewell. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
But the 6-0 Ichabods had to withstand several Cardinal threats before taking control late in an 81-73 win in Lee Arena, the Ichabods first game that was closer than 17 points.
"It was ugly and we probably needed that,'' Washburn coach Brett Ballard said. "We haven't had many of those where there were a lot of meaningful possessions in the second half, so it was good for us in a way, but a lot of self-inflicted wounds today.''
After trailing by 12 points (24-12) William Jewell used a 12-0 run over a 5:37 span to forge a 24-all deadlock with three minutes left in the first half and trailed by just a 29-26 margin at the break.
The Cardinals got within a point twice early in the second half and were still within three points midway through the half (49-46) before a William Jewell technical foul seemed to ignite the Ichabods.
A Jack Bachelor free throw on the technical followed by a Jacob Hanna 3-pointer on the same possession put WU up by seven and Brady Christiansen scored 30 seconds later to put the Ichabods back in front by nine (55-46).
Hanna added a pair of free throws to put Washburn up by double-digits at 57-46 and the Ichabods went on to lead by 15 points on four different occasions and cruised in for the win, avenging a 15-point road loss to the Cardinals last seaon.
"We got the job done and that's a good team,'' Ballard said. "And they're missing some guys. They're going to get better and are well-coached and they make you earn it.
"I was happy with how we responded at times in the second half, but we've definitely got to learn from this and get better.''
Washburn put 52 points on the board in the second half while shooting 71 percent from the field and 66.7 percent from 3-point range.
Hanna, a senior, led the Ichabods with 19 points and added eight rebounds and six assists while finishing nine of 10 from the free throw line and doing most of his damage in the decisive second half.
"It was tough in the first half with two fouls and kind of being limited minutes-wise, but I just tried to give the team whatever we needed to win the game,'' Hanna said.
Washburn sophomore Brayden Shorter scored 18 points with four 3-pointers in Saturday's 81-73 win over William Jewell. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Hanna paced five Ichabods in double-digits as starters Brayden Shorter had 18 points, Bachelor 14 and Andrew Orr 12 while Christiansen gave the Ichabods a big lift off the bench with 12 points (6 of 7 from the field) and seven rebounds.
"Brady was good,'' Ballard said. "He got some baskets and defensively he's so solid and you can rely on him to be in the right spots defensively and can guard multiple guys and he's a great rebounder. He does all those things and definitely gave us that spark and I thought Jacob Hanna was really good in the second half as well.''
Washburn junior Brady Christiansen (1), guarding William Jewell's Kanukayi Gudza, had 12 points and seven rebounds off the bench in Saturday's 81-73 home win. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
A junior, Christiansen started 28 of 30 games as a sophomore before coming off the bench this season, but he said his role hasn't really changed.
"At the end of the day it's just what's best for the team,'' Christiansen said. "And it's really the same role as last year, just being a man on the glass and doing what's best for my teammates and then making the right plays when I'm open.
"That's just what my role is and if everyone does their role we're going to win pretty much all the games. Not many teams will beat us.''
Jason Thirdkill, Jr. and Jordan Jermain both scored 17 points to lead William Jewell.
William Jewell was ranked 19th in the nation in scoring defense, allowing only 61 points per game, before Washburn's 81-point outburst. Washburn out-rebounded the Cardinals, 32-23.
The Ichabods will return to action next Saturday hosting Peru State at 2 p.m.
WASHBURN MEN 81, WILLIAM JEWELL 73
William Jewell 26 47 -- 73
Washburn 29 52 -- 81
WILLIAM JEWELL (3-2)
Thirdkill Jr. 6-10 5-5 17, Wingert 2-6 2-2 6, Jordan 4-12 0-0 12, Lightbourne 3-8 4-4 10, J. Jermain 5-16 4-5 17, Mitchell 2-3 3-4 7, Scharbrough 1-1 0-0 2, Gudza 1-1 0-0 2, A. Jermain 0-0 0-0 0, McGuire 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-57 18-20 73.
WASHBURN (6-0)
Orr 3-6 6-6 12, Hanna 4-5 9-10 19, Bachelor 4-8 3-4 14, Shorter 6-10 2-2 18, Keegan 3-7 0-1 6, Christiansen 6-7 0-0 12, Claussen 0-2 0-0 0, Schadegg 0-1 0-0 0, Cook 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-46 20-23 81.
3-point goals -- William Jewell 7-25 (Jordan 4-11, J. Jermain 3-9, Thirdkill Jr. 0-3, Lightbourne 0-2), Washburn 9-19 (Shorter 4-8, Bachelor 3-5, Hanna 2-2, Keegan 0-3, Christiansen 0-1), Rebounds -- William Jewell 23 (Wingert 6), Washburn 32 (Hanna 8, Christiansen 7). Assists -- William Jewell 13 (Wingert 4), Washburn 18 (Hanna 6). Turnovers -- William Jewell 13, Washburn 19. Total fouls -- William Jewell 18, Washburn 18. Fouled out -- none. Technical fouls -- William Jewell bench.
