By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Due to forecasted weather this weekend Washburn University's women's basketball's game with Missouri Western has been moved up to 4 p.m. Friday in Lee Arena.
Washburn women's basketball will host Missouri Western at 4 p.m. Friday in a game that was moved up a day to due to forecasted inclement weather. [File photo/TSN]Washburn improved to 13-5 overall and 6-3 in the MIAA with a 45-38 Wednesday night win over Northwest Missouri State while Missouri Western fell to 6-12, 2-7 with an 80-71 road loss at Central Missouri on Wednesday.
The Ichabods will be looking to avenge a 75-67 loss to the Griffons on Jan. 7 in St. Joseph, Mo.
Senior Yibari Nwidadah is averaging team-highs of 13.2 points and 8.1 rebounds for the Ichabods and coming off a double-double with 13 points and 16 rebounds in the win over Northwest Missouri.
With 278 career offensive rebounds Nwidadah is third in program history and she ranks fifth in overall rebounding with with 761 career boards.
Her career field goal percentage of .579 is the second best in program history and she ranks 13th among all Ichabods with 1,216 career points.
Nwidadah had 23 points and 13 rebounds in the earlier loss to Missouri Western.
Senior Payton Sterk led all scorers with 16 points on 7-13 shooting against the Bearcats and is averaging 11.7 points with a team-high 29 3-pointers.
Sterk's career free throw percentage of 85.4 percent is the best for any Ichabod.
Senior Gabi Giovannetti averages 10.8 points for the Ichabods with a 27 3-pointers and a team-high 1.8 steals per game.
Missouri Western leads the MIAA and is 14th in the nation in 3-pointers per game at 8.3. The Griffons are second in the conference in 3-point percentage and fourth in field goal percentage.
Mia Morel leads Missouri Western with a 14.3 scoring average along with 3.6 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game for the Ichabods.
Ana Olivera Dias is averaging 13.5 points and Nakiya Harris 11.5 points.
Washburn has a 58-49 lead in the all-time series with Missouri Western and the Ichabods are 29-18 against Missouri Western in Lee Arena.
After Friday's game Washburn heads back on the road for three games, beginning with Fort Hays State on Thursday.
