#11 SBU BEARCATS (13-2, 4-1 MIAA) vs WASHBURN ICHABODS (7-6, 1-5 MIAA)

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2010 • 7:30 PM
BOLIVAR, MO • MEYER SPORTS CENTER
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SBU NOTES | WU NOTES

BOLIVAR, Mo. -- The #11 SBU Bearcats will play their third game in a week with a Tuesday night home game with the Washburn Ichabods. SBU will look to extend their 37-game home court winning streak (second longest in Division II), which begain in February 2007 with a 108-89 victory over Emporia State. SBU picked up their sixth straight victory with a 75-62 win Saturday night over Emporia State, when the Bearcats used a second half surge to pull away from the Hornets.
   
Bearcat senior center and National Player of the Year candidate Matt Rogers continues to lead the way for SBU, averaging 23.2 points per game, the most in the MIAA. Rogers is also third on the rebounding list, with 7.8 boards every contest. With 54 blocks on the year, Rogers leads the nation, and has 35 more blocks than anyone else in the league. Rogers is also among the MIAA leaders in field goal percentage (4th), free throw percentage (7th), and defensive rebounds (2nd). Junior point guard Tomas Brock is third in the MIAA in assists (5.3) and is second in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.5).
   
Several players have stepped up their play of late including sophomore Tristan Steele. Steele has led the Bearcats in scoring in two conference matchups this season, tallying 24 points at Central Missouri, and 22 points against Pittsburg State. Steele has a team-high 29 three-pointers on the season, and is averaging 4.5 rebounds per game as well. Another player who has stepped up of late is junior forward Kurt Koenig. The Minnesota native is averaging 13.3 points per game (15th in MIAA), 4.7 rebounds per night and is hitting 48% from three-point range.

THE COACHES AND THE ALL-TIME SERIES
SBU head coach Jeff Guiot is in his sixth season in Bolivar, where he has led the Bearcats to a 120-45 (.727) record. Guiot has a 338-138 record overall, and has yet to suffer a losing season during his fifteen-year career. Guiot has won 20 games ten times, as well as eight conference titles, including three of the last four MIAA regular season championships while at SBU.
   
Bob Chipman, head coach of the Icabods, is one of the winningest coaches in Division II. With a record of 669-270 (.716), Chipman is in his 31st season on the Washburn bench. Over his time with the Icabods, Chipman has led the squad to an NAIA national championship in 1987, and an appearance in the 2001 NCAA championship game.
   
Washburn has a 27-14 edge in the all-time series, although the Bearcats have gone 6-2 against the Icabods since the 2005-06 season. The two sides have earned a split in the home-and-home series each of the last two seasons. Last season WU gave SBU its first loss of the season in Topeka, 83-72, in early January before SBU edged Washburn in Bolivar 86-84.
   
SCOUTING THE ICHABODS
The Ichabods have struggled starting MIAA play, going 1-5 so far. But they did play Central Missouri tough Saturday in Warrensburg, losing 77-71 to the Mules. De'Andre Washington ranks third in the MIAA in scoring with 19.2 points per game and also ranks second with 8.0 rebounds. William McNeill is 14th in scoring (13.8) and leads in steals with 2.5 per night and also is second in offensive rebounds (2.8). Washburn is the third best defensive team in the league, holding opponents to 65.8 points per game and the third-best three-point percentage (30%). The Ichabods are also second best in thefts, averaging 10.2 steals per game.
        
NEXT UP FOR THE BEARCATS
This weekend the Bearcats will make the long trip out to western Kansas, to take on the #13 Fort Hays State Tigers. Fort Hays made a statement Monday night with 81-71 win at #1 Central Missouri. The Tigers now lead the MIAA with 6-0 start. The Tigers boast the best defense in the league, allowing only 56.6 points per game, and have the widest average margin of victory, outscoring their opponents by 23.3 points per game. Although they don't take as many three-pointers as most teams in the MIAA, Fort Hays leads the league, shooting at a 42.5% clip behind the arc. Dominique Jones leads the team in scoring, with 12.4 points per game, while Corbin Kuntzsch is averaging 7.1 rebounds, 5th-most in the MIAA.