By KYLE MANTHE
The Washburn Review
Washburn University men’s basketball entered the NCAA Division II Tournament as the sevethn seed, going up against the second-seeded Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs, but the Ichabods did not play like it as they led by as many as 17 points in the process of pulling off the upset victory in Sioux Falls, S.D., 83-73.
“There is no question that this is the best region in Division II,” said Washburn coach Brett Ballard. “Just to get here means a lot, it means you have done something pretty special.”
The 10-point final score was dictated in large part by the play of Ichabod senior All-American Tyler Geiman, who neared a triple-double, finishing with 21 points along with nine assists and nine rebounds.
“I don’t know if there is another player that impacts this team as much as this guy does,” Ballard said. “He just wants our team to win and I am hoping we can keep playing a few more games together.”
The win moves the Ichabods to 22-10 on the year and into the semifinals of the Central Region where they will face Northwest Missouri State for the second straight year on Sunday.
Connor Deffebaugh (left) drives against Minnesota Duluth in Washburn's 83-73 win in the opening round of the NCAA Central Region tournament Saturday in Sioux Falls, S.D. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
“It feels like the 400th time we have played those guys, it’s inevitable,” Ballard said. “I love the team that we are taking into this game tomorrow, we have been preparing pretty much all year for a game like this, knowing that we might see these guys again.”
Washburn began Saturday's game on a 6-0 run but the Bulldogs quickly came back to tie the game and take a six-point lead within the first 10 minutes of play.
Geiman got the Ichabods' offense ignited, scoring five straight points to pull WU within one.
“I think we just found the mismatches and just kept attacking, kept going and getting to the rim,” Geiman said.
The deficit stayed between four points until under the two-minute mark when Geiman knocked down a 3-pointer to move Washburn ahead, 29-28. Sophomore Tyler Nelson knocked down another triple the next play as Washburn went into halftime with a 32-29 lead.
Minnesota Duluth scored the first four points coming out of the break to take a one-point lead, but Jalen Lewis scored the next nine points for the Ichabods, pushing them ahead by as many as six.
An injury to senior Jeremy Harrell and four fouls on junior Jonny Clausing forced Washburn to play small. They responded with an 8-0 run, going up by 11-points at the 12:10 mark after a basket from Geiman.
The Ichabods lead grew to 16 at the eight-minute mark after a 3-pointer from freshman Michael Keegan.
Inside of seven minutes, the Bulldogs knocked down three 3-pointers as a part of an 11-0 run to pull within just six points as the game moved inside of five minutes.
Junior Drew Blair continued to knock down shots for Minnesota Duluth, finishing with a team-high 20 points with four made triples.
The veterans on Washburn, led by Geiman and Clausing, controlled the tempo down the stretch, pulling away for the win.
“It’s going to be a knock-down-drag-out to try get out of this, but I am proud of our effort tonight, we beat a good team and I know our guys are happy and we should be proud of that,” Ballard said.
Lewis matched Geiman with 21 points, dishing out four assists. Both Clausing and sophomore Kevaughn Ellis contributed 10 points.
Washburn will face the Bearcats at 5 p.m. Sunday in the regional semifinals.
WASHBURN MEN 83, MINNESOTA DULUTH 73
Washburn 32 51 -- 83
Minnesota Duluth 29 44 -– 73
Minnesota Duluth (25-6)
Brown 4-11 8-10 19, Blair 4-13 8-8 20, Katona 2-6 5-6 9, Middleton 3-7 2-2 11, Meister 1-6 0-0 2, Strong 0-3 2-2 2, Lea 0-1 0-0 0, Shields 3-4 4-6 10. Totals: 17-52 29-34 73.
Washburn (22-10)
Deffebaugh 4-7 0-2 8, Geiman 9-18 0-0 21, Lewis 6-14 8-8 21, Keegan 3-5 0-0 7, Clausing 3-7 4-4 10, Nelson 2-4 0-0 5, Braun 0-1 0-0 0, Harrell 0-0 1-2 1, Ellis 4-7 0-0 10. Totals: 31-63 13-16 83.
3-point shots – Minnesota Duluth: 10-28 (Brown 3-6, Blair 4-9, Katona 0-1, Middleton 3-7, Strong 0-3, Lea 0-1, Shields 0-1). Washburn: 8-20 (Deffebaugh 0-2, Geiman 3-5, Lewis 1-5, Keegan 1-2, Braun 0-1, Nelson 1-2, Ellis 2-3). Rebounds - Minnesota Duluth 34 (Blair 8), Washburn 33 (Geiman 9). Assists - Minnesota Duluth 9 (Blair 3), Washburn 15 (Geiman 9). Turnovers - Minnesota Duluth 13, Washburn 8. Fouled out - Minnesota Duluth (Shields), Washburn (Ellis). Technical fouls - Minnesota Duluth (Shields).
