By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The red-hot Washburn University men's basketball team will be looking for its sixth straight win and a regular-season sweep over Missouri Western when the Ichabods begin a three-game road trip at 7:30 p.m. Wednesay at Western.
Sophomore Andrew Orr is averaging a team-high 13.1 points per game for Washburn, which plays at Missouri Western Wednesday. [File photo/TSN]
The Ichabods are 10-9 overall and 7-6 in the MIAA after winning their fifth-straight game in a 66-56 decision over Northeastern State last Saturday at Lee Arena.
The Griffons (8-12, 4-10) lost their sixth game in a row last Saturday at Nebraska-Kearney, 85-75. WU won the first meeting between the two teams on Dec. 17 in Topeka, 76-51.
Washburn has won the last five in the series with the Griffons after losing the previous four in a row.
Seaman Andrew Orr leads the Ichabods in scoring at 13.1 points per game while averaging 13.6 ppg in MIAA contests. Orr has reached double figures in 13 of 19 games this season. He is third on the team in rebounds at 5.9 per game.
Tyler Nelson is averaging 11.6 points overall and 12.3 ppg in MIAA contests. He tied a career-high with 25 points against Nebraska-Kearney and has reached double digits in his last six games, averaging 15.5 ppg.
Connor Deffebaugh is averaging 9.7 points while adding 3.1 assists per game. Deffebaugh missed seven games with an injury before returning last Saturday against Northeastern State.
Hayden product Levi Braun is scoring 10.0 points a game and has hit 46 of 103 3-pointers (45percent).
Michael Keegan is averaging 8.4 points and 5.7 rebounds and has gone 13 of 14 from the free throw line in his last two games.
Freshman Brady Christiansen is leading the Ichabods with 7.9 rebounds per game.
Julius Dixon leads a balanced Missouri Western attack with a 13.0-point scoring average while Will Eames is averaging 10.9 points and Taye Fields 10.5 points with a team-high 7.5 rebounding average.
Washburn will remain on the road to face defending national champion Northwest Missouri on Saturday.
