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.
The Ichabods are second in the nation in rebound margin at plus 10.2, seventh in the nation in field goal percentage at 51.2 percent, 12th in scoring defense, allowing 64.2 ppg, and third in scoring margin at plus 22.5.
Ichabod senior Jacob Hanna is 30th in the nation in free throws made with 112 to lead the MIAA and is 22nd nationlly in attempts with 154, also leading the MIAA.
Sophomore Brayden Shorter is fourth in the nation in 3-pointers per game at 3.64 and he's ranked seventh in total 3-pointers made at 80. His 80 3-pointers this season is second on the Ichabod sophomore record chart, trailing Todd Alexander who hit 83 during the 1990-91 season and his total is seventh on the Ichabod single-season chart.
The Ichabods' current 22-game winning streak is the third-longest winning streak in program history and the longest to start a season. The WU all-time record is 25 wins from Jan. 17, 1987 through Nov. 23, 1987.
Terrell Williams Jr. leads the Lions with an 11.9 scoring average while adding 4.2 rebounds per game while Elijah Wilson is scoring 10.1 points a game. VJ Reeves is averaging 9.8 points with a team-high 38 3-pointers this season.
The Ichabods will face Northeastern State on Saturday before returning home for their final two regular-season games, hosting Central Oklahoma on Feb. 20 and Rogers State on Feb. 22 for Senior Day.
