By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn University women's basketball team is set to return to the court for the first time in nearly two weeks on Thursday when the Ichabods travel to the Show Me State to face Missouri Southern in a 5:30 p.m. MIAA contest.
Washburn is on a four-game winning streak and captured a 66-59 victory at Central Missouri on Dec. 31 to improve to 5-7 overall with a 3-3 record in the MIAA. Missouri Southern rolled past Northeastern State, 78-62, on Tuesday evening to improve to 8-5, 5-3.
These two teams split the series last season as Washburn took a 56-49 victory in Lee Arena and dropped a 59-51 decision in Joplin, Mo.
Thursday's game will be the 84th all-time meeting between Washburn and Missouri Southern, with the Ichabods leading the series, 53-30.
Hunter Bentley leads Washburn with a 12.3 scoring average and has moved into the No. 9 spot on the Ichabods' career scoring list. [File photo]
Hunter Bentley leads Washburn with a 12.3-point scoring average and has scored nine or more points in eight straight games.
Former Wabaunsee standout Abby Oliver is Washburn's second-leading scorer with a 7.7 scoring average to go with 4.6 rebounds per game. She had nine points and seven boards at Central Missouri.
Hanover product Macy Doebele averages 7.4 points and 4.0 rebounds for WU and Shae Sanchez averages 6.7 points while Nuria Barrientos notched her second double-double of the season against Central Missouri with 11 points and 10 rebounds. She averages 6.1 points and leads the team with 5.1 rebounds per game. Barrientos is fifth in the MIAA with 17 blocks.
Bentley moved up to No. 9 on Washburn's all-time scorers list last week with 1,349 points in her career and will pass Joy Benton at No. 8 with eight more points.
Bentley is also tied for the third-most minutes played while wearing a Washburn uniform. She has put in 3,697 minutes of work on the hardwood and will pass Reagan Phelan in second in 105 more minutes of playing time.
True freshman Lacy Stokes has made an instant impact for Missouri Southern, averaging 17.1 points, 6.2 assists, 3.2 steals and 5.8 rebounds.
Madi Stokes averages 11.7 points and has a conference-best 60.2 field goal percentage while leading the Lions with 6.3 rebounds per game.
Washburn closes out its road trip on Saturday at Pittsburg State (1:30 p.m. start).
