By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University's men's basketball team will begin a four-game homestand at 7:30 p.m. Monday when the No. 2-ranked and defending national-champion Northwest Missouri Bearcats visit Lee Arena in a rescheduled game from Jan. 6.
The Ichabods (10-6, 7-3 MIAA) have now won their last four games after an 80-79 MIAA win at Pittsburg State on Saturday and will be facing a Northwest team (15-1, 8-0) that has won 13 straight games and 22 MIAA games in a row after defeating Nebraska-Kearney, 80-65. The Bearcats' only loss of the season was on Nov. 13 against Sioux Falls in an 83-77 loss in Kansas City.
Junior Jalen Lewis leads Washburn with a 14.1 scoring average entering Monday night's game against No. 2-ranked Northwest Missouri at Lee Arena. [File photo]
Senior Tyler Geiman is coming off a 28-point performance in Washburn's 80-79 MIAA win at Pittsburg State on Saturday. [File photo]
Washburn leads the all-time series with the Bearcats, 62-50, and lost the last meeting in the second round of the 2021 NCAA playoffs in Aberdeen, S.D. Overall the teams have split the last four meetings, with two of those going to overtime.
The Ichabods won the MIAA Tournament Championship in Maryville, Mo. last season, taking a 69-68 win on Tyler Geiman's 57-foot buzzer-beater.
Washburn was picked second both the MIAA Coaches and Media preseason polls behind the Bearcats.
Junior Jalen Lewis leads Washburn in scoring at 14.1 points per game while hitting 37 of 92 3-pointers.
Geiman, a senior, is averaging 12.6 points with 6.6 rebounds and 6.3 assists in nine games this season while freshman Michael Keegan averages 10.4 points and 6.5 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and 1.7 steals per game.
Geiman led the Ichabods with 28 points and added six assists and five rebounds against Pittsburg State.
Tyler Nelson is averaging 10 points while Connor Deffebaugh averages 9.1 points and is coming off a career-high 20-point game against Pittsburg State.
Former Manhattan star Trevor Hudgins leads Northwest Missouri with a 24.6-point scoring average while adding 4.2 assists per game.
Wes Dreamer is averaging 13.9 points and 5.6 rebounds while Diego Bernard averages 12.5 points and 5.5 rebounds.
Washburn will continue its homestand on Saturday against Emporia State.
