By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn will hit the turnpike Saturday to continue its long-standing rivalry with Emporia State, playing an MIAA doubleheader at White Auditorium.
WU’s women, 5-5 overall and in the conference, will face Emporia State (7-2, 7-2) in a 1:30 p.m. contest followed by the 3:30 p.m. men’s game between the No. 7-ranked Ichabods (10-1, 10-1) and the Hornets (6-6, 6-6).
Washburn’s men, who are starting their second three-game road trip of the season, are led by senior point guard Tyler Geiman, who leads the team in scoring with a 19.5 average, assists (6.2), rebounds (6.9), steals (1.8) and minutes played (36.4). Geiman will play his 100th game as an Ichabod against Emporia State.
Jonny Clausing, a 6-foot-9 junior, is averaging 11.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and a team-high 1.3 blocks.
Hayden product Levi Braun, a redshirt freshman, is averaging 7.6 points and has scored 19 and 15 points in his last two games while hitting 11 of 15 3-pointers. Braun is 26 of 48 (54 percent) from outside the arc for the season.
Washburn beat Pittsburg State 84-62 last Saturday at Lee Arena, while Emporia State is coming off a 71-59 loss to Central Oklahoma Thursday in a rescheduled game from earlier in the season.
The Bronchos rode a 17-0 run to a 43-22 scoring edge in the second half to rally from a 9-point halftime deficit to pull out the win over the Hornets.
Jumah'Ri Turner is averaging 16.6 points and Austin Downing 13.1 points for Emporia State.
Washburn’s women are coming off a 73-49 win over Lincoln on Tuesday, while Emporia State posted its third straight win, 76-73 victory over Central Oklahoma on Thursday night.
Senior Hunter Benley averages 15.8 points and 7.1 rebounds for Washburn while playing 36 minutes a game.
Junior Nuria Barrientos averages 11.8 points and a team-best 8.4 rebounds to go with 2.9 assists and 1.6 blocks. Barrientos recorded her fourth double-double of the season on Jan. 19, finishing the night with 13 points and 12 rebounds.
Wabaunsee product Abby Oliver, who missed the Lincoln game (illness), is averaging 9.3 points and 4.9 rebounds while freshman Lauren Cassady scored 11 points, grabbed 7 rebounds and dished out 4 assists, all career-highs, against Lincoln in her first career start.
Emporia State is led by Tre'Zure Jobe, who averages 21.1 points, 3.0 assists and 2.7 steals. Fredricka Sheats contributes 10.8 points and 6 rebounds for the Hornets.
Washburn will host Emporia at Lee Arena in the regular-season finale on Feb. 27.
