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Date: January 24, 2018
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: Topeka, KS

Bolivar, Mo. - Southwest Baptist (10-8, 4-4 MIAA) heads out on the road to Topeka, Kansas where they will face off against the current top team in the MIAA, the Washburn Ichabods (14-4, 8-1).

Previewing the Bearcats
The Bearcats sport a 10-8 (4-5 MIAA) record in the 2017-18 season. They are on a current two game slide as they dropped home contests to Lindenwood and Lincoln over the weekend. SBU is paced by senior forward Logan Hovey who averages a team high and third best in the MIAA conference 18.9 points per game and 7.6 rebounds per game. Marlon Alcindor averages double figure scoring with 12.0 points per game and Cartier Dean chips in 9.3 points per game. Chris Rossow leads the team in the assists category with 3.9 a game. As a team, the Bearcats are scoring 77.6 points per game, which is seventh best in the MIAA conference, and shoot a conference leading and seventh best in the NCAA 42.7% from behind the arc while giving up 71.8 points per game on 41.4% shooting from opponents. The 41.4 field goal percentage defense ranks third in the MIAA and 38th in the country.

Previewing the Ichabods
Washburn comes into the game atop the MIAA Conference with a 14-4 (8-1 MIAA) record. Their last time out Pittsburg State snapped the Ichabods 12 winning streak by handing them their first conference loss of the season, 76-74. Leading the charge for Washburn is two-time MIAA Defensive Player of the Year, Brady Skeens. Skeens averages a double double with 13.9 points per game and 10.3 rebounds while also blocking 2.2 shots a game. Javion Blake is their top scorer and assister at 15.9 points per game and 2.6 assists per game. The Ichabods score the third most points in the conference at 79.8 points per game. They allow the fifth fewest points with 67.7 points per game and have the top ranked field goal percentage defense at 39.3%.

The Coaches
SBU head coach Clark Sheehy is in his fourth season on the SBU bench, holding a 46-58 (23-46 MIAA) record while at SBU. Coach Sheehy holds a career coaching record of 227-159 across twelve seasons while coaching six different All-Americans and over 20 athletes that have moved on to play professional basketball. After starting the season 1-3, Sheehy has guided SBU to a 9-5 record over their past 14 games.

Brett Ballard is in his first season coaching the Ichabods. Ballard came to Washburn after spending time as a top assistant on Danny Manning's coaching staff that included stops at the University of Tulsa and most recently, Wake Forest University. Ballard has spent previous time as a head coach holds a career coaching record of 47-34. 

All-Time Series
Washburn has a convincing lead in the career series over Southwest Baptist, 38-17. The two teams last met in the first round of the 2017 MIAA Tournament with Washburn coming away with a 89-70 victory.

Bearcats Last Outing
(1/20/18) - Bolivar, Mo. - Southwest Baptist fell against Lincoln in a crushing loss on two free throws from the Blue Tigers with .3 seconds left. The loss makes SBU's record 10-8 (4-5 MIAA) while Lincoln goes to 9-10 (3-7 MIAA). 

Damian Prgomet scored 16 points for the Bearcats on seven of nine field goals and made both of his free throw attempts. He also blocked three shots. Logan Hovey added 17 points, seven rebounds and two steals. Marlon Alcindor was the other Bearcat in double figures with 14 points, including seven of eight at the line. Chris Rossow was the leader in assists with six.  As a team, Southwest Baptist made 53.5% (23-43) of their field goals and 44.4% (8-18) of their three pointers. SBU had the slight edge on the boards over the Blue Tigers, 31 to 27, and managed to force 11 Lincoln turnovers. 

After the first five minutes in the first half, the game was tied 10-10. At the 9:40 mark, Hovey drained a three pointer that made the score 21-17 Bearcats. Less than five minutes remaining in this half, Kai Woodfall banged home a three of his own and to retake the lead, 30-28. Unfortunately, Lincoln closed the half with an 8-4 spurt to give them a 36-34 advantage at halftime.

Starting the second half behind, SBU found a way to come back with the lead with a three pointer again by Hovey at the 16:15 mark. Prgomet powered home an incredible dunk to tie up the score 49-49 with 12:15 left in the second half. With about 10 minutes remaining, for the next four minutes of game action, Lincoln went on a 13-0 run, making the score 64-57 Blue Tigers. At the end of the game, Southwest Baptist was behind Lincoln by just two points but with .3 seconds to go Cartier Dean splashed home a three to make the score 74-73 Bearcats. After a timeout, Lincoln was trying to inbound the ball but a foul on SBU was called, which led Lincoln to have two free throws. John Burton from Lincoln swished both of them to send Lincoln home with a dramatic 75-74 win.

Ichabods Last Outing 
(1/20/18) - Pittsburg, Kan. -- The Washburn Ichabod men's basketball team had its 12-game winning streak come to an end in a 76-74 loss at Pittsburg State. Washburn falls to 14-4 and 8-1 in the MIAA. Washburn returns to action on Jan. 24 hosting Southwest Baptist.

A 3-pointer by Jabari Antwine with five seconds to play put the Gorillas (11-7, 4-5 MIAA) up 76-74 and after a timeout Washburn's half court attempt came up short.

Washburn trailed by as many as 13 in the first half at 35-22 with 4:50 to go, but scored 10-straight points cutting the lead to three and would eventually tie the game on a Tyas Martin 3-pointer knotting the score at 38-38.

In the second half, Washburn opened the frame on a 9-1 run and built a lead of nine with 11:12 to play in the game. With Washburn leading 64-58, the Gorillas went on an 11-2 run over the next 2:47 to take a one point lead at 67-66.

A Cameron Wiggins 3-pushed Washburn back up 69-67 with 4:39 to go and the Ichabods would go up five at 73-68 with 2:35 to play, but the Gorillas closed the game on an 8-1 run for the comeback win hitting all three field goal attempts including two 3-pointers while the Ichabods were 0-2 from the field during the same stretch with the only points on a Brady Skeens free throw with 1:12 to play.

Skeens became the 25th Ichabod to reach the 1,000-point mark leading the Ichabods with his 30th career double double with 17 points and 12 rebounds adding three blocks going 8 of 11 from the field. David Salach scored a season high 14 points and Javion Blake scored 10 with six assists. Antwine led the Gorillas with 18 points.

Washburn finished 30 of 66 from the field (46 percent) while the Gorillas were 27 of 62 (44 percent). Washburn outrebounded Pitt State 41 to 38.