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No. 2-ranked Ichabod men snap seven-game losing streak to Bearcats with 96-66 romp
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Granted, perennial MIAA and NCAA Division II power Northwest Missouri State is in the midst of a transition season after former Bearcat coach Ben McCollum moved on to Division I Drake following last season and took multiple Bearcats with him.
Brayden Shorter (20), celebrating a big play with Brady Christiansen, led Washburn with 18 points in Saturday's 96-66 win over Northwest Missouri. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn senior Andrew Orr scored 16 points on Saturday in the Ichabods' 96-66 win over Northwest Missouri. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
But the Bearcats' tradition -- four national titles and 21 MIAA regular-season championships -- coupled with the fact that the Ichabods had dropped seven straight games to Northwest gave Washburn plenty to play for in Saturday's conference matchup.
And the Ichabods took full advantage of Northwest's inexperience and current struggles, leading for all but 19 seconds in a wire-to-wire 96-66 win in Lee Arena.
"We talk about how there's guys in our program who built us up to where we are today and they went through that Ben McCollom/Northwest era and I went through it, too,'' said Ichabod senior Andrew Orr, who moved into the No. 19 spot on Washburn's career scoring chart with 16 points.
"It feels really good to get this type of win because that's a prideful program and to beat a team of that level by that much is special.''
Ichabod coach Brett Ballard, who entered Saturday's game with a 3-18 career record against the Bearcats, agreed.
"We have a lot of respect for that program and what they've accomplished and it is a big game,'' Ballard said. "Every game is a big game, but that's a big game and that's a good win for us, a good statement win.''
Washburn, which improved to 15-0 overall and 6-0 in the MIAA, is likely to be the top-ranked team in the country for the first time since 1992 when the national rankings are released on Tuesday after previous No. 1 Nova Southeastern lost earlier in the week on the road to Palm Beach Atlantic.
Washburn jumped out to a 9-1 lead and never looked back as the Ichabods recorded their first win over Northwest since Feb. 9, 2013.
No. 2-ranked Washburn men roll up 105 points in 28-point road romp past rival Hornets
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
EMPORIA – Washburn University men's basketball christened the new year in style as the No. 2-ranked Ichabods led for 39:33 of the 40-minute contest and by as many as 33 points, cruising to a 105-77 MIAA road win over Emporia State on Saturday in White Auditorium.
Sophomore Jack Bachelor led six double-figure scorers for Washburn with 19 points as the No. 2-ranked Ichabods rolled to a 105-77 road win over Emporia State. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn improved to 13-0 overall and 4-0 in MIAA play and will return to Lee Arena for the first time since Nov. 30 next Wednesday as the Ichabods will host Missouri Western at 7:30 p.m.
Washburn jumped out to a 13-3 lead 3:49 into the game behind Jack Bachelor's 11 points, including three-straight 3-pointers.
The Hornets (4-8, 1-3) trimmed the lead back to five at 17-12, but the Ichabods used another 13 to 3 run, doubling up Emporia State with 9:13 to play in the half.
ESU cut the lead to 11 but that margin was the closest the Hornets would get the rest of the game as the Ichabods finished the frame 9 of 11 from the field over the final 7:01 of the half, taking a 56-39 lead into the break.
Washburn shot 61 percent in the opening half, paced by 17 points from Washburn Rural product Bachelor and 10 points and eight assists from Jacob Hanna as the Ichabods reached at least 50 points in a half since scoring 52 against William Jewell on Nov. 23, 2024 in Lee Arena.
A 12-1 run over a three-minute stretch followed by a 16-7 Ichabod run stretched the Ichabod lead to a game-high 33 with 9:28 to play as Washburn snapped a four-game slide to the Hornets.
Bachelor finished with a game-high 19 points and added eight assists, leading six Ichabods in double figures.
Birthday boy Andrew Orr had 16 points as did Hanna, who also had eight assists and six rebounds.
Dillon Claussen had a career-high 15 points on 7 of 7 shooting while Brayden Shorter hit three 3-pointers en route to 11 points with six boards and Brady Christiansen had 11 points as well.
Malik Edwards scored 13 points to lead the Hornets.
After shooting 61 percent in the first half, the Ichabods improved to 67 percent in the second half, hitting 20 of 30 shots overall to close the game at a season-high 63 percent on 43 of 68 shooting.
Washburn outrebounded the Hornets 34 to 25 in the game and tallied 26 assists on 43 baskets in the game. Washburn also outscored the Hornets 58 to 22 in the paint and forced 22 turnovers, leading to 27 points for the Ichabods.
The 105 points scored by the Ichabods was the second time Washburn reached the century mark in the 222 previous meetings in the series, topping the old record of 103 set against ESU on Jan. 7, 2004 in Topeka.
The Ichabods just missed setting the largest margin of victory in the series as the Hornets hit a 3-pointer with 13 seconds left avoiding the record mark of 31 in a 73-42 Ichabod win on Jan. 16, 2010.
First 2024-25 city high school girls basketball statistics
NOTE: Statistics for city girls basketball teams were compiled by Seaman girls coach Matt Tinsley. The following stats are the first of three statistical reports which will be released during the 2024-2025 season, capped by the season-ending stats.
Washburn Rural sophomore Maddie Vickery leads the city of Topeka in scoring with a 22.6 average. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
SCORING
Name, school Gms. Pts. Avg
Vickery, Washburn Rural 5 113 22.6
Carter, Highland Park 3 64 21.3
Rayton, Topeka High 4 83 20.8
Emmot, Shawnee Heights 4 82 20.5
Becker, Seaman 5 93 18.6
I. McGlory, Topeka West 4 66 16.5
Ramsey, Hayden 4 55 13.8
Gragg, Seaman 5 66 13.2
Meier, Hayden 4 52 13.0
Schmidtlein, Hayden 4 51 12.8
Torrez, Shawnee Heights 4 50 12.5
Esser, Seaman 5 60 12.0
Marshall, Topeka High 4 45 11.3
Hinck, Washburn Rural 5 52 10.4
Broils, Highland Park 3 31 10.3
Highland Park sophomore Pearmella Carter is the city leader in rebounding with a 10.7 average. [File photo/TSN]
REBOUNDING
Name, school Gms. Total Avg.
Carter, Highland Park 3 32 10.7
Benning, Topeka High 4 39 9.8
Ramsey, Hayden 4 37 9.3
Vickery, Washburn Rural 5 46 9.2
Hinck, Washburn Rural 5 44 8.8
Torrez, Shawnee Heights 4 35 8.8
Broils, Highland Park 3 25 8.3
Esser, Seaman 5 39 7.8
Caryl, Topeka High 4 29 7.3
Hall, Topeka West 4 29 7.3
Vega, Shawnee Heights 4 28 7.0
Becker, Seaman 5 31 6.2
Wilhelm, Seaman 5 31 6.2
Keeling, Topeka West 4 23 5.8
Meier, Hayden 4 23 5.8
Seaman senior Anna Becker leads the city of Topeka with a 6.4 assist average. [File photo/TSN]
ASSISTS
Name, school Gms. Total Avg.
Becker, Seaman 5 32 6.4
Brees, Shawnee Heights 4 14 3.5
Hinck, Washburn Rural 5 17 3.4
Sanders, Highland Park 3 10 3.3
Marshall, Topeka High 4 12 3.0
Wilhelm, Seaman 4 14 2.8
Vega, Shawnee Heights 4 11 2.8
Beaton, Seaman 5 13 2.6
Gragg, Seaman 5 13 2.6
Emmot, Shawnee Heights 4 10 2.5
Meier, Hayden 4 10 2.5
Greco, Hayden 4 10 2.5
Vickery, Washburn Rural 5 12 2.4
Schmidtlein, Hayden 4 9 2.3
Hirschi, Washburn Rural 5 11 2.2
Highland Park senior Tahtionna Broils is the city steals leader with 4.7 per game. [File photo/TSN]
STEALS
Name, school Gms. Total Avg.
Broils, Highland Park 3 14 4.7
Hartz, Highland Park 3 14 4.7
Greco, Hayden 4 18 4.5
Schmidtlein, Hayden 4 18 4.5
Sanders, Highland Park 3 13 4.3
Marshall, Topeka High 4 17 4.3
Hinck, Washburn Rural 5 19 3.8
Jones, Highland Park 3 10 3.3
Becker, Seaman 5 14 2.8
Torrez, Shawnee Heights 4 11 2.8
Brees, Shawnee Heights 4 11 2.8
Rayton, Topeka High 4 11 2.8
Vega, Shawnee Heights 4 10 2.5
I. McGlory, Topeka West 4 10 2.5
Miller, Seaman 4 9 2.3
Keeling, Topeka West 4 9 2.3
