- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn's women's basketball team looked like it was on the verge of taking control of Wednesday's game against Benedictine when Macy Doebele scored to put the Ichabods up by 12 points with just over three minutes remaining in the first half.
It never happened, with the Ravens outscoring the Ichabods 42-27 the rest of the way to take a 64-61 win at Lee Arena.
"The offense has been horrendous this whole year for us,'' Washburn coach Ron McHenry said. "We don't have a problem getting attempts up, we have more problems getting it in the basket and a lot of that is just we don't find the right kids.
"It's been a struggle and we kind of know that. We've got a find a way to get the ball to kids who need the ball.''
Hanover native Macy Doebele led Washburn with 14 points and seven reboounds in the Ichabods' 64-61 loss to Benedictine Wednesday at Lee Arena. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Benedictine, which counted Wednesday's game as an exhibition, scored the final 10 points of the half to get back in the game and then pushed its lead to five in both the third and fourth quarters before holding the Ichabods off down the stretch.
Washburn, which fell to 1-2, got within a point twice over the final 5:20, the last time on a hoop from Mackenzie Gamble with 51 seconds remaining.
After a Ravens miss Washburn took a time out with 13.6 seconds left to set up its final play, but senior Hunter Bentley's 3-point attempt bounced off the rim.
Benedictine's Ali Brzozowski was fouled and hit two free throws with 1.3 seconds left to account for the final margin.
Brzozowski, a 6-foot-1 senior, led the Ravens (5-1) with game-high totals of 17 points and nine rebounds while Natalie Smaron (6-2 senior) added 14 points and eight rebounds and former Nemaha Central standout Alleigh Kramer also had 14 points.
Doebele, a 5-11 sophomore out of Hanover, led Washburn with 14 points, including eight straight second-half points to help keep the Ichabods in the hunt, and also led the Ichabods with seven rebounds.
"I felt like the shots I was taking were set up well by my teammates, especially in the second half,'' Doebele said.
"We needed to get going and someone needed to step up. I think everyone was trying to their shots to fall, too, and we just had to fight.''
Bentley added nine points for Washburn.
Washburn will host its Thanksgiving Classic Nov. 26-27, facing Winona State and Rockhurst.
BENEDICTINE WOMEN 64, WASHBURN 61
Benedictine 13 19 20 12 -- 64
Washburn 21 13 14 13 -- 61
BENEDICTINE (5-1 Wednesday counted as exhibition)
Smaron 6-10 2-3 14, Washington 3-6 0-0 8, Brzozowski 4-10 9-10 17, Kramer 4-12 4-6 14, Raines 1-4 4-4 7, Carrasquillo 0-1 0-0 0, Ronnebaum 0-1 0-0 0, Nicholson 0-1 2-2 2, Melton 0-0 2-2 2. Totals 18-45 23-27 64.
WASHBURN (1-2)
Cassaday 3-6 0-0 6, Glatczak 0-1 0-0 0, Bentley 3-10 2-2 9, Barrientos 2-6 2-4 6, Doebele 6-11 0-2 14, Gamble 2-5 0-0 5, Sanchez 2-5 1-2 5, Sanz 0-1 0-0 0, Oliver 3-7 1-2 7, Johnson 3-4 0-0 6, Chapman 0-0 0-0 0, Dewey 1-2 0-0 3. Totals 25-58 6-12 61.
3-point goals -- Benedictine 5-16 (Washburn 2-5, Kramer 2-6, Raines 1-2, Brzozowski 0-2, Ronnebaum 0-1), Washburn 5-19 (Doebele 2-5, Bentley 1-7, Gamble 1-2, Dewey 1-1, Barrientos 0-1, Shanchez 0-1, Sanz 0-1, Oliver 0-1). Rebounds — Benedictine 35 (Brzozowski 9), Washburn 30 (Doebele 7). Assists -- Benedictine 11 (Raines 4), Washburn 16 (Sanchez 4). Turnovers -- Benedictine 17, Washburn 11. Total fouls -- Benedictine 16, Washburn 22. Fouled out -- none. Technical fouls -- none.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn women's basketball team begins its home schedule with a non-conference matchup 7 p.m. against Benedictine College on Wednesday at Lee Arena.
The Ichabods went 1-1 in last weekend's season-opening MIAA/GAC Crossover Challenge in Weatherford, Okla., notching a 62-50 overtime win over Oklahoma Baptist on Saturday.
Benedictine is 5-1 to start the season and Wednesday's contest will be an exhibition for Benedictine while it will count towards Washburn's win-loss record.
Mackenzie Gamble
Hunter Bentley
Mackenzie Gamble is averaging 12.5 points and hit 5 of 10 3-point attempts against Oklahoma Baptist.
Hunter Bentley is averaging 12.0 and led Washburn in scoring with 20 points in Saturday's win, with eight coming in overtime.
Abby Oliver played all 40 minutes against Oklahoma Baptist and had personal-bests in rebounds (13) and steals (three) to go with 9 points.
Benedictine closed out the 2020-21 campaign with a record of 17-9 while going 14-5 in conference play.
Alleigh Kramer leads the Ravens' offense with a 10.3 average and shoots 56.1 percent from the field. She also grabs six rebounds per game and dishes out a team-high 3.5 assists.
Washburn leads the all-time series with Benedictin, 36-7, and has won the last 26 meetings.
The Ichabods last played the Ravens on Dec. 30, 2017 and won 77-52.
Washburn will play next at its Thanksgiving Classic Nov. 26-27, hosting Winona State and Rockhurst.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The No. 11-ranked Washburn University men's basketball team is on the road for Wednesday's non-conference game (7:30 p.m. tipoff) against William Jewell in Liberty, Mo.
The Ichabods are coming off a 1-1 weekend at the Central Regional Challenge in Kansas City, Mo., topping No. 17 Northern State 86-65 before falling to Augustana on Saturday, 72-58.
The Ichabods lead the all-time series with William Jewell 12-5 and have won the last two meetings.
Wednesday's game will be the first time the Ichabods and Cardinals have played each other since Dec. 11, 1998 in Topeka.
Washburn is expected to be without third-team All-American guard Tyler Geiman and post standout Jonnny Clausing, who have both been sidelined with injuries.
Jalen Lewis
Michael Keegan
The Ichabods are led this season by junior Jalen Lewis and freshman Michael Keegan, who are each scoring 12.5 per game
McNeese State transfer Jeremy Harrell is averaging 10.5 points for Washburn.
Lewis is currently 20th on the Ichabod all-time scoring chart with 1,041 career points in 90 career games.
William Jewell is 1-1 this season, topping Purdue Northwest 76-71 before dropping a 75-67 decision to Davenport in the GLIAC/GLVC Challenge.
Jordan Jermain leads the Cardinals with a 20-point scoring average while Heri Tshiyoyo is averaging 13.5 points and Kobe McKinley.
McPherson product Mason Alexander averages 11.5 points after scoring 12.5 points a game last season.
The Ichabods will play their home-opener on Saturday (2 p.m. start) against Baker University at Lee Arena.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After absorbing a lopsided three-set Senior Night loss to Northwest Missouri last Saturday, all Washburn University volleyball coach Chris Herron wanted to see Tuesday night was for his Ichabods to repcapture the form that had resulted in 24 regular-season victories and a No. 5 national ranking.
Herron got exactly what he was looking for, with the Ichabods rolling to a 25-19, 25-17, 25-20 sweep in an MIAA Tournament quarterfinal win over Pittsburg State at Lee Arena.
"That butt-slapping we took on Saturday night was not fun to watch,'' Herron said. "But the energy was great in serve and pass today so I knew going in we were going to be OK.''
With the victory, Washburn improved to 25-4 on the year and advanced to a rematch with Northwest in Friday's 8:30 p.m. MIAA Tournament semifinal at Warrensburg, Mo. Central Missouri will face Nebraska-Kearney in the first semifinal at 6 p.m.
"We're looking forward to this opportunity to play them again,'' Herron said of the semifinal matchup. "It's an opportunity and we talk about the glass isn't half empty it's half full, so that's an opportunity for us.''
Genna Berg
Allison Maxwell
Kelsey Gordon
Senior Genna Berg led the Ichabods with 16 kills against Pittsburg State while senior Allison Maxwell added 13 kills and senior Kelsey Gordon 11 as Washburn hit at a .325 clip, compared to .238 hitting by Pittsburg State, which ended the season 15-14.
"Berg was crazy good and Alli Maxwell was off the charts and Kelsey Gordon, yikes!'' Herron said. "Those three kids by themselves were ridiculous. They were bouncing balls and it was a lot of fun.''
Senior Allison Sadler had 43 assists on the night for Washburn while senior Faith Rottinghaus led the way with 17 digs.
The five Ichabod standouts all earned All-MIAA first-team honors earlier in the day.
Gordon said Tuesday was a great bounce-back from Saturday's loss.
"I think we did really well with finding ourselves and coming back to playing Washburn volleyball because I think we can all agree that (Saturday) wasn't Washburn volleyball,'' Gordon said. "I think tonight was just about finding who we are again as a team.
"We had a meeting and we talked about what makes Washburn volleyball special and we identified those (things) and today the biggest goal was just playing to those.''
Former Silver Lake standout Marissa Bates led Pittsburg State with 11 digs.
MATCH RESULT
Washburn def. Pittsburg State, 25-19, 25-17, 25-20.
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Sixteen members of Washburn University's NCAA playoff-bound football team earned All-MIAA honors Tuesday, led by conference special teams player of the year James Letcher Jr., who was a first-team pick at two positions.
Letcher, a senior, was named a first-teamer as kick/punt returner and receiver in addition to earning the special teams player of the year award for his return prowess.
Washburn senior James Letcher Jr. was named the MIAA special teams player of the year and made the all-conference team at two positions. [File photo/TSN]
Also earning first-team All-MIAA honors for the 9-2 Ichabods were quarterback Mitch Schurig, offensive lineman Colton Dunkle, defensive lineman Malick Fall and defensive back Marquise Manning.
Earning second-team honors for the Ichabods were tight end Jace Williams and defensive lineman Landen Urban while offensive linemen Bergan Hofer, defensive lineman Braden Rose and linebacker Brooks Peavler, a Hayden product, earned sports on the third team.
Receiving honorable mention for the Ichabods were running back Taylon Peters, receiver Peter Afful, offensive lineman Andrew Funk, defensive backs Peyton Lane and Kevin Neal Jr. and punter Lane Spiker.
Former Shawnee County standouts Dalton Cowan, Dawson Hammes and Corey Thomas received All-MIAA recognition for Emporia State.
Cowan, a Seaman product, was named to the second team as the all-purpose pick while linebacker Dawson Hammes (Rossville) and receiver Corey Thomas (Topeka High) received honorable mention.
Nebraska-Kearney’s TJ Davis was voted the conference offensive player of the year, Northwest Missouri’s Sam Roberts was named the defensive player of the year and Missouri Western’s Brandon Hall earned the league’s freshman of the year honor.
Nebraska-Kearney coach John Lynn was voted the MIAA coach of the year.
Letcher averaged 27.2 yards on kickoff returns yards to rank second in the MIAA and 9.71 yards on punt returns, which ranked fourth. Letcher also recorded the second-longest kickoff return in the league this season with a 90-yard return for a touchdown against Central Oklahoma on Oct. 23.
Washburn will open its NCAA Division II playoff bid at Harding on Saturday.
ALL-MIAA FOOTBALL
