By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Junior Jack Bachelor led the way Wednesday as newly-named No. 1-ranked Washburn University men's basketball raced past No. 4 West Texas A&M, 74-48, in San Antonio as the Ichabods topped their second straight No. 4-ranked foe.
Junior Jack Bachelor scored a game-high 19 points Wednesday to join Washburn's 1,000-point club for career points. [File photo/TSN]
Bachelor's first basket of the game – a 3-pointer with 15:33 to go in the first half – pushed him over the career 1,000-point mark for his career at Washburn, becoming the 30th Ichabod in program history to reach 1,000 points.
The former Washburn Rural star went on to score a game-high 19 points, hitting 5 of 10 shots from the floor and going a perfect 6 of 6 at the free throw line while adding five assists.
Bachelor now has 1,017 career points in 77 career games and he is tied with former teammate Michael Keegan at No. 24 overall on Washburn's all-time scoring chart.
Now 13-0 on the season, Washburn seized control in the opening minutes, answering an early West Texas A&M push with a 12-0 run midway through the first half to take control.
The Ichabods shot a sizzling 58.6 percent from the floor in the first half and knocked down seven three-pointers, opening up a commanding 44-24 advantage at the break.
The Ichabods turned 11 Buffs first-half turnovers into 19 points, leading to a 16-0 advantage in fastbreak points.
Bachelor and junior Jeremiah Jones led the Ichabods' first-half charge with with 10 points apiece while sophomore Tyson Ruud added nine points.
The Ichabods maintained control in the second half, weathering a brief West Texas A&M rally before responding with timely baskets and defensive stops.
Washburn outscored the Buffs 30-24 after the break, holding the Buffs to 33.3 percent shooting (6 of 18) shooting while continuing to generate offense off turnovers and in the paint.
The WU lead ballooned to as many as 27 points late.
Jones finished with 10 points, two assists and three steals for the Ichabods and Ruud contributed nine points on 4-of-5 shooting with four rebounds.
Sophomore Dillon Claussen recorded nine points and nine rebounds and senior Sam Ungashick scored 10 off the bench.
As a team Washburn shot 50 percent (27 of 54) from the field, holding West Texas A&M to 36.4 percent shooting (16 of 44), and won decisively in points off turnovers (34 to 13) and fast-break scoring (25 to 1).
Washburn also out-rebounded the Buffs 38 to 26.
Fontaine Williams was the only player for the 10-2 Buffs to reach double figures with 15 points.
Ichabod coach Brett Ballard recorded his 500th career win while on a basketball staff as a head coach, assistant coach or staff member in Wednesday's win.
The Ichabods held the Buffs to a season-low 48 points in the win. West Texas A&M's previous low was 76 as the Buffs entered the game averaging 92.6 points per game.
Washburn will now be off until Jan. 3 when the Ichabods will host Emporia State in Lee Arena as the Ichabods continue MIAA play.
