By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn University men's basketball team will be back in Lee Arena for the first time since Jan. 20 at 7:30 Wednesday night, with the Ichabods hosting Missouri Western in an MIAA contest.
Junior Andrew Orr leads the Washburn Ichabods with a 13.5 scoring average entering Wednesday's home MIAA game against Missouri Western. [File photo/TSN]
The Ichabods are coming off a 2-2 road trip, with wins over Nebraska-Kearney and Rogers State.
Washburn, 14-7 overall, 10-5 MIAA, is coming off a 75-66 loss at Northeastern State last Saturday.
Missouri Western is 15-6 overall and 9-6 in the MIAA race, one game behind the Ichabods in the conference standings. The Ichabods won the first meeting this season against the Griffons, 83-77 in St. Joseph.
Wednesday's meeting will be the 106th in the history of the two programs, with the Ichabods leading 61-44. The Ichabods have won six of the last eight games in the series and the last two played in Topeka.
Junior Andrew Orr leads the Ichabods with a 13.5 scoring average, shooting 85.9 percent from the free throw line and 57 percent from the field. Orr is fifth in the MIAA in field goal percentage and ranks ninth on Washburn's all-time career chart at 58 percent.
Sophomore Sam Ungashick is scoring 13.3 points per game while averaging 3.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.4 steals per game. He leads the team with team with 32 steals.
Ungashick had 26 points while hitting six of nine 3-pointers in the first meeting with Missouri Western this season.
Freshman Jack Bachelor is averaging 12.3 points and leads the team with 77 assists.
Sophomore Brady Christiansen is averaging 8.6 points a team-high 7.4 rebounds. Christiansen is fourth in the MIAA in rebound average.
Christiansen has recorded a double-double in back to back games.
The Ichabods are first in the MIAA in scoring, averaging 78.7 points per game and rank eighth in scoring defense, allowing 71.4 points.
Washburn is plus 7.2 in rebounding margin this season which leads the MIAA and ranks ninth nationally.
The Griffons topped Nebraska-Kearney at home last time out, 72-60.
JaRon Thames leads Western in scoring at 15.4 points per game while Zion Swader is averaging 11.9 points, followed by Julius Dixon at 11.8 and Taye Fields 11.7 points and 9.4 reabounds.
Washburn will be back in Lee Arena on Saturday hosting Northwest Missouri at 3 p.m.
