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By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

 The No. 1-ranked Washburn University Ichabods are on the road this weekend for two MIAA contests, beginning at Arkansas-Fort Smith on Thursday night (7:30 p.m. start) for only the second meeting in program history against the Lions.

Washburn sophomore point guard Jack Bachelor leads the MIAA and is sixth in the nation in assist to turnover ratio. [File photo/TSN]

The Ichabods improved to 22-0 and 13-0 in the MIAA with an 83-60 home win over Central Missouri last Saturday. The Lions enter the contest 9-13 overall and 3-10 in the MIAA after a 59-53 loss at Fort Hays State.

Thursday's meeting with the Lions will be the only one between the two schools this season in the regular season. The contest with the Lions will also be only the second in program history between Washburn and Arkansas-Fort Smith, with the Ichabods winning the lone meeting on Nov. 12, 2011 in an 87-66 decision in Bartlesville, Okla.

The Ichabods are one of two undefeated teams remaining in the NCAA Division II ranks, joining No. 2 Daemen (20-0).

Senior Andrew Orr became the 28th member of the Ichabod 1,000 point club with a free throw at Fort Hays State earlier this season. Orr now has 1,197 career points, sitting in 17th all-time. Next on the chart is Jemi Johnson in 16th with 1,215 career points from 1992-95.

Orr is 14th in the nation in field goal percentage at 63.1, leading the MIAA.

Senior Michael Keegan has 949 career points in 118 career games as an Ichabod and he has moved past Bobby Chipman into fifth place on the career blocks chart with 95. Keegan is also fourth all-time in steals with 149 and he went over the 200-assist mark earlier this season.

Keegan is eighth in the nation and leading the MIAA in steals with 58 and he is ranked ninth in steals per game at 2.64 per game.

Sophomore Washburn Rural product Jack Bachelor is sixth in the nation and leads the MIAA in assist to turnover radio at 3.47, is 14th in total assists at 125 and 12th in assists per game with 5.7. In his last nine games Bachelor has had 70 assists and 11 turnovers -- a 6.4 to 1 ratio.

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By NICHOLAS GAINEY

Special to TopSports.news

Maddie Vickery may have two full seasons of high school basketball left, but Manhattan residents got an early glimpse of the Kansas State commit as the Washburn Rural girls knocked off the Manhattan Indians 58-28 on Tuesday night at Washburn Rural.

Sophomore Maddie Vickery scored a game-high 27 points in Washburn Rural's 58-28 win over Manhattan Tuesday night. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]

Both offenses were slow to develop, with the Indians (10-5 overall, 3-2 Cetennial League) grabbing the first lead with a pair of free throws from Bailey Busch.

After the teams traded layups at each end, Ella Hirschi knocked down a 3-pointer to give the Junior Blues (11-4, 4-1) a 5-4 lead.

Senior Kate Hinck had a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds in Tuesday's 58-28 win over Manhattan. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]

Despite the initial slow start, the Washburn Rural offense took off in the later stages of the first quarter, with a pair of layups from senior guard Kate Hinck giving the Junior Blues a 11-6 advantage. Hirschi added a pair of 3-pointers to grab a quick nine points off the bench, with the hosts leading 19-10 after eight minutes of play.

While Hirschi led the dance in the first quarter, the second quarter belonged to Vickery. The sophomore tallied 16 of her 20 first-half points in the frame, knocking down four 3-pointers and going a perfect 4-4 from the line.

The Junior Blue defense held the Indians to nine points in the period, taking a 40-19 lead into the locker room.

Manhattan came out of the gate quickly, grabbing the first four points of the second half with layups from Kat Ball and Delaney Larson, cutting the Washburn Rural lead to 40-23. The Junior Blues answered with a 12-2 run, featuring a pair of layups from Hinck and six points from Vickery.

With the contest in hand for Washburn Rural, the fourth quarter was played with a running clock, with the hosts securing the 58-28 victory.

Vickery led the Junior Blues with 27 points on 7-17 shooting, going 9-10 from the charity stripe. Hinck added 12 points on 5-10 shooting while pulling down 11 rebounds to complete the double-double.

Washburn Rural out-rebounded Manhattan by a 30-19 margin.

Busch led the Indians with 8 points, with Ball chipping in 7 points. Jelena Depusoir led Manhattan with six rebounds.

Even though the hosts endured an early dry spell, Washburn Rural coach Kevin Bordewick was pleased to see his team taking advantage of the defense and getting high-quality shots from behind the arc.

“I thought we recognized (Manhattan was) backing off,” Bordewick said. “I just thought we were taking what the defense was giving us and doing a good job of finishing plays.”

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By NICHOLAS GAINEY

Special to TopSports.news

A strong showing on the defensive end led to offensive opportunities as the Washburn Rural boys picked up a 74-45 win over Centennial League rival Manhattan on Tuesday night at Rural.

Junior John Hoytal led Washburn Rural with 18 points in Tuesday's 74-45 Centennial League win over Manhattan. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]

The Junior Blues set the tone early, starting the game with an 8-0 run. Junior Simon Rowley earned the first points of the evening, snagging his first of a team-high seven rebounds and finishing with a putback layup. The run also saw a layup from junior John Hoytal before senior Kaden Ballard knocked down a mid-range jumper to give the hosts the 8-0 lead.

After a pair of free throws by the Indians, Washburn Rural answered with layups from Rowley and senior Amare Jones to stretch the lead to 12-2.

Sam Spiegel gave Manhattan its first field goal of the evening, but a floater from Hoytal forced an Indian timeout with 2:03 to play in the first quarter. The Junior Blues forced eight turnovers by Manhattan in the first period on their way to an 18-6 lead, with Hoytal scoring seven points in the opening frame.

The Indians found the first points of the second quarter with a layup from Vince Doering, but Hoytal answered with a 3-pointer.

While the Manhattan offense took better care of the ball in the second period, Washburn Rural kept its foot on the gas, jumping out to a 36-17 halftime lead.

Jones helped the hosts’ effort with six consecutive points late in the half.

After allowing an 8-0 run to start the game, Manhattan found an 8-0 run of its own to open the second half, cutting the Junior Blue lead to 36-25.

The hosts answered with a 3-pointer from junior Draden Chooncharoen and a layup from Ballard, but a jumper from Landon Knopp and a layup from Doering kept the Indians within striking distance.

Midway through the third quarter, a pair of big plays shifted the momentum in favor of the Junior Blues.

Ballard finished a difficult layup along with a foul, hitting the free throw to complete the 3-point play. Jones then knocked down a 3-pointer from the left wing to extend the lead to 47-31.

The visitors continued to battle into the fourth quarter, with Noah McFadden completing a 3-point play to start the period.

Hoytal answered with a 3-point play of his own, before the Indians found two consecutive baskets to cut the lead to 14.

Washburn Rural closed the game with an 18-3 run to secure the win, with much of the scoring coming off the bench.

Freshman Brooks Ballard hit a pair of 3-pointers, with the first coming off an assist from older brother Kaden with 3:49 to play in the contest.

Junior Simon Rowley scored 14 points Tuesday as Washburn Rural improved to 11-4 with a 74-45 win over Manhattan. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]

Senior Amare Jones scored 14 points in Washburn Rural's 74-45 Centennial League win over Manhattan. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]

Hoytal led the Junior Blues with 18 points on 6-8 shooting while adding five rebounds. Rowley and Jones added 14 points each.

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