By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University’s basketball teams head to Wichita on Thursday to face Newman in an MIAA doubleheader.
The WU women, 5-6 overall and in the conference, will face the Jets (3-9, 3-9) in a 5:30 p.m. contest, followed by the men’s game between the Ichabods (10-2, 10-2) and Newman (2-9, 2-9).
Washburn’s men are ranked No. 13 in the latest NABC Division II rankings after a 91-74 loss at Emporia State last Saturday.
The Ichabod men beat Newman 100-61 at Lee Arena on Dec. 5. The Jets have dropped their last five games.
Senior point guard Tyler Geiman averages 19.8 points, 6.3 assists, 6.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals for Washburn, while junior Jonny Clausing is averaging 11.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks.
Junior Jalen Lewis is averaging 11.0 points while hitting 29 of 55 3-point attempts.
Joel Boyce averages a team-high 13.3 points and 6.7 rebounds for Newman while Branden Bunn averages 12.4 points.
Washburn's men will be ion the road on Saturday at Central Oklahoma before returning to Lee Arena to face Rogers State on Feb. 4, Northeastern State on Feb. 6 and Lincoln on Feb. 9.
The Ichabod women are coming off a 64-55 loss at Emporia last Saturday, while Newman dropped a 62-37 decision to Rogers State on Monday.
Newman knocked off Washburn 56-52 on Dec. 5 at Lee Arena.
Senior Hunter Bentley averages 15.5 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists for the Ichabods, while junior Nuria Barrientos averages 11 points and leads the team in reboundsing with an 8.5 average.
Sophomore Abby Oliver averages 9.6 ppg and has shot 55.4 percent from the field.
Bentley became the 24th Washburn women's basketball player in program history to eclipse 1,000 career points. She is now tied at No. 22 in the record book with 1,007 points.
Washburn will be facing a Newman team that is 3-9 and has dropped three straight games and seven of its last eight.
Brooke Haney averages a team-high 11.5 points for Newman. Faith Mason-Vestal contributes 10.8 points per game.
WThe Ichabods will wrap up their road swing at Central Oklahoma on Saturday.
