TOPEKA (KSNT) — Following the first double-header of the Washburn men’s and women’s basketball season on Thursday, the Ichabods hosted Northeastern State on Saturday in their final four-game home run.
For the second day in a row, Washburn swept an MIAA foe. Ichabod’s men finished with a 66-56 victory and the women won 61-49.
Male Summary:
After a frustrating 2-6 start in conference play, Washburn men’s basketball came into a four-game hitting streak on Saturday.
The Ichabods carried the winning momentum into Saturday’s contest from the jump. Five minutes into the game, the Riverhawks only scored one point. Northeastern would not make its first field goal until 14 minutes left in the first half, when Washburn led 7–3.
The two teams traded shots from there, until the Ichabods started to pull away late in the half. Washburn led by as many as 13 points and pulled a 33-22 lead into the locker room.
The second half began with back-and-forth shooting, but the Riverhawks soon went on a 17-4 run to make the game 48-46 Washburn with eight minutes left.
The Ichabods responded with an 11-2 run, pushing the lead back to 11 points. Washburn would hold the lead the rest of the way, finishing in a 66-56 win.
Tyler Nelson led the Ichabods in scoring with 16 points. Andrew Orr added 11 points and 8 rebounds. All nine players who came into the game for Washburn hit at least one shot.
The win marks a five-game hitting streak for Washburn to extend the team’s overall record to 10-9, 7-6 in conference play. It’s the first time the Ichabods’ record has been above .500 this season since the team was 2-1, and the first time this season with a winning record in conference play.
Female Summary:
The Washburn women entered Saturday’s contest with a win that ended a four-game losing streak. That momentum has also been transferred.
The Ichabods trailed 2-0 early on, but were never behind. For a quarter of the game, Washburn led 15-9.
A 5-0 run after halftime gave the Ichabods a 20-9 lead midway through the second quarter. The Riverhawks closed the deficit, but Washburn held a 24-19 lead in the locker room.
The start of the second half was a fierce battle. Northeastern tied the game at 30 with six minutes left in the third. The Ichabods responded with a 14-3 run to lead by 11 points. Washburn held a 44-36 lead going into the final quarter.
Washburn left no doubt in the fourth quarter. A Gabi Artis layup on the Ichabods’ first possession of the quarter gave the team a ten-point lead. The Riverhawks have never broken single digits.
The Ichabods led by as many as 15 points in the fourth quarter, finishing with a 61-49 victory.
Aubree Dewey led the team with 12 points, while Macy Doebele posted a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds. Yiibari Nwidadah finished with nine points and nine rebounds.
The win marks two in a row for the Ichabods after having lost four in a row. Washburn now stands with a 9-10, 5-8 record in conference play.
Both the men’s and women’s teams kick off a three-game stand Wednesday, Feb. 1 at Missouri Western State.
